Just a Figment
by JustTheAverageGirl
Summary: Raven believes her friends, the teen titans, were never real, and decides to check herself in to a mental hospital. She spends her days drinking medication and floating through the halls of the hospital. However, another young superhero finds himself unable to go back to his old world, as he was erased from history. He was able to get through to Raven before, can he do it again?
1. Chapter 1

*Hello, fellow Teen Titans fans! I've been scrolling through to see who pairs Raven with whom, and I haven't found much (in all honesty, I only found one) relating to her and Charles Watkins (Kilowatt). There are pages and pages (and yes, I have submitted one) of her and Garfield (Beast Boy). Honestly, I used to ship BBRae hardcore until I started reading about Charles Watkins (Kilowatt). In Issue #48 of the Go! Comics called 'Teen Tyrants', Raven rescues Kilowatt from his own dimension when she heard his distress call. Please, I recommend taking the time to read it. But this made me see another possible relationship that is unlike anything else I've seen or read about. And, I do owe this outlook to a good friend of mine. This piece takes a few days or months before the episode of the animated series, 'How Long is Forever?'. If you are an animated TT fan like myself, you will understand how sad it was to see Raven in a mental institution. That, ladies and gentleman, is where I am going off of. Please enjoy and R&R!*

*Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or any of its characters.*

*For Joel.*

Loneliness Itself

There she stood, clad in her white cloak. She was looking at nothing, as usual. Her hood hid her once lit amethyst eyes. She chanted her usual mantra over and over again, blocking out the room around her. It had been years since she checked herself into the mental institution. The nurse should be coming in any second now…

A woman wearing navy blue scrubs walked in. "Miss Raven?" Her voice held its usual dry tone.

Raven didn't acknowledge her. She kept her back to her. What medication would they force down her throat this time?

"I've come to give you this." She held a clear plastic cup of milky liquid.

"Nothing works here," Raven muttered slowly.

The woman persisted. "Please, Miss Raven. We only want to help you."

The white cloaked woman turned around slowly. "With what?"

The nurse sighed, having to answer this question every day. "You checked yourself in 3 years ago because you believed your friends were never real and that you were crazy to think of all those scenarios with them."

"Friends…they were never there…" she breathed slowly.

The nurse held the cup to former titan's lips. "Take this," she urged softly.

Raven took the cup and drank the bittersweet liquid. She handed the empty cup back the nurse.

"I'll bring your breakfast down soon," the woman left her there, in the bright white room.

Her head started to spin slightly and her vision blurred. She hated the medication. She hated how they tried to treat her. She remembered a conversation she had with one of the other residents. They kept telling her how she used to be such an amazing super hero with these so-called, 'Teen Titans'.

She scoffed. They were never really there. She realized this one day when one of the figments disappeared. One-by-one, they all started leaving. Her mind had finally cleared. She was alone. She always had been, and she always will.

She opened her eyes slowly and walked toward the bed. She looked at her hands and sighed. "I am loneliness itself," she said to herself.

She was starting up again. All of the residents, nurses, and doctors knew this. Every morning, Raven would repeat, 'I am loneliness itself', for an hour.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she did so. The doctors sighed in defeat at hearing her. Once again, the medication failed.

After she had finished, the same nurse walked in, carrying a tray of food. "Please eat, Miss Raven." She set the tray on her lap.

Raven stared at the plate of eggs and bacon. Her eyes landed on the carton of orange juice.

"I'll give you a few minutes," she said as she walked out.

She took a small bite out of the eggs and grimaced. She never liked this kind of food. She pushed away the tray and stood up. She faced the wall, not saying a word.

She heard the door open and she sensed the presence of one of the doctors. She stiffened.

"Miss Roth," he called out.

"What," she asked bitterly.

"We are becoming very concerned with your mental state…in the last few months, you have been referring to your friends as never existing. This is news to us and we wish to understand why."

"…Friends?"

"Yes, your friends," he said clearly.

"My friends…there are no such thing…" she said slowly.

"Miss Roth, if you could just take the time to listen to what I have to say," he reached out for her.

The moment he did, she put up a wall of black energy.

He took a step back. "I see…." He wrote a few things down on a clipboard and left the room.

Raven sighed and chanted her mantra. "Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…"

She spent the rest of her day floating through the halls of the hospital, glancing at the other residents and playing chess with her nurse.

That night, she crawled into her small bed and stared at the ceiling. Tears streamed down her face and she closed her eyes. "Help…me…" she whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

*Hooray, Ch. 2 is posted! Yes, I know it isn't very long, but it's not really supposed to be. If you know about Charles Watkin's history, you get a cookie! If not, go read about him, or this story will not make much sense to you. Ch. 3 will be longer, that I promise you ^^*

*Same disclaimer applies*

*For Joel*

A Different World

Charles Watkins was alone. After all, he had never truly existed in the first place. His dimension had completely erased the Team Titans from history, except for 3. He thought of the one woman he had ever loved and sighed sadly. "Miriam never saw me that way," he muttered to himself.

He wandered an empty dimension by himself, looking for any sign of help. He remembered a girl named Raven had rescued him a long time ago. How had he called her? He scratched his head, trying to remember. "What's the point?" he asked himself. "I've been erased from history…she won't ever remember me…"

He sat down and hugged his knees to his chest. He had never felt this kind of feeling before. He was alone with his memories and no one to remember him.

"Miriam…" he whispered her name, wishing she could hear him.

Bitter tears streamed down his face. "Raven…help me…" he choked out.


	3. Chapter 3

*I decided to post another chapter tonight. I felt bad leaving you guys with that awful short one. So, here you go!*

*Same disclaimer applies*

*For Joel*

Dreams

She was wearing her old blue cloak. She heard a voice, but it sounded far away. She listened, but she couldn't make out the words. It was a man, that much she could tell. She followed the voice, her eyes scanning for someone, anybody. "Hello?" She called out.

She was answered with silence. Raven cleared her throat and called out again. "Anyone?" The place she was in was dark and foggy. The dark sorceress tried moving the fog away with her arms, but she could not see more than 3 feet in front of her.

That was when she heard a choked sob, "Raven…help me…"

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up in her bed almost immediately. She looked around. The clock read 4:09 am. She blinked, trying to clear her head. "Weird…" she muttered to herself. She laid back down and wrapped the thin blanket around herself. Her eyes flickered to her white cloak. "Why was it…" she refused to ask the rest of her question, as it only brought back more false memories.

She fell asleep with ease and woke up again 3 hours later. She sat up slowly and yawned, remembering her strange dream.

Her nurse walked in with yet another cup of medication. It appeared to be white with a yellow tint to it. Raven grimaced.

The nurse smiled softly. "Did you sleep well?"

Raven looked away. "I had a dream."

She placed her medication on the window sill. "Oh?"

The former simply nodded and her eyes landed on the medication. "Nothing works here," she whispered.

"Here…" she took the cup and handed it to her.

Raven drank it disdainfully and blinked.

"Breakfast will be here shortly." The nurse walked out.

The sorceress looked outside and opened her mouth to start up her morning ritual, but was suddenly stopped as she heard something.

"Raven…help me…"

Her eyes widened. She looked around the room, wondering who had said that. "What?" she called out.

Just like in her dream, she was answered with silence.

She cleared her throat. "Hello?" She called out.

"…Help…"

The sorceress stood up, frightened. "Who's there..?"

She heard nothing.

"Who's there?" she called louder.

Silence.

"Answer me!" She screamed. The clock nearby had blown to bits at her outburst.

Immediately, a doctor came rushing inside. "Miss Roth?" he asked breathless. He had obviously been running.

"Tell them to stop!" she shouted. The glass on the window started to crack.

Two more nurses and another doctor came rushing in as well.

The doctor winced at her voice. "Miss Roth, please calm down."

"No! Someone is here!" she shouted, tears in her eyes.

He shook his head and pulled out a needle. Her eyes widened. "Miss Roth, there is nobody here, but us," he said slowly.

She backed away from him. "Don't. Touch. Me." She said through her teeth.

He whispered something to the 2 nurses before they started approaching her. "We're only trying to help," he said calmly.

"I don't want your help!" she said desperately, afraid.

The nurses grabbed her arms. Raven panicked and tried prying them off, but they held her down on the bed. The doctor brought the needle closer.

"NO!" she screamed, and flailed her legs.

The other doctor, whom had been recording her actions, placed his clipboard on the ground, and restrained her legs.

Raven continued to struggle. She wanted to use her powers, but she was too weak. "Get away from me!" she yelled.

The doctor ignored her request and brought the needle down to her thigh.

"I SAID GET AWAY FROM ME." Her voice became menacingly demonic and her eyes glowed red.

All four workers were stunned, looking her in the eyes. The doctor's eyes widened before he punctured her vein with the needle.

Raven let out a cry of pain before she stopped struggling and her eyes returned to their normal shade of violet.

The nurses and doctor let go of her one-by-one.

"Let her rest," one of them advised.

They all left the room simultaneously, leaving the former exhausted and in pain.

Raven heard the voice again as her vision blurred. "Raven…help me…"

She was falling into a deep sleep, she could barely keep her eyes open any longer. Before her world faded to black, she called out, "I can't…I need help…"


	4. Chapter 4

*I present to you, another chapter! I felt bad putting poor Charlie through this, but it had to be done. My chapters will be MUCH longer after this one. So prepare to be doing some lengthy reading.*

*For Joel*

Fading to Nothing

Charles took in a deep breath. He called out desperately, "Help…me…"

His eyes became heavy and suddenly, felt unpleasant pressure building on his feet and finger tips. He clenched his fists, trying to fight this unnerving feeling.

"What the hell…?" he asked himself. He tried walking it off, but stumbled and fell to the ground, unable to move his legs.

His eyes widened in panic. "No…"

A sudden realization came over him. No one could hear him, and no could help him. Therefore, no one was thinking of him. He wasn't even a thought in anyone's mind. He gritted his teeth. Ever so slowly, the pieces were slowly falling into place. He was literally fading to nothingness.

He felt the feeling in his legs grow numb until he felt nothing there at all. "…Raven…help me…" he choked. He clawed his fingers into the floor, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Something was growing inside him, something he had been avoiding since he arrived in this void; fear.

That was when something hit him, hard. It was painful, but he bit his tongue to prevent from crying out. He felt the feeling return to his legs, but it felt like flames were licking up and down his body. It was unbearable. It felt as if he were being pulled apart, his legs unraveling into pieces of string.

It was slow, but steady. Charles gritted his teeth and tried to move, but his legs unraveled until there was nothing left of them. His eyes looked up to the blackness surrounding him. "…Help…" he begged.

His fingers started unraveling up to his wrists. He could no longer feel the floor he had been digging into previously. His face hit the ground hard and he had just enough strength to turn towards the black backdrop surrounding his world.

Is this really how it ends for me, he thought to himself. The burning and unraveling sensation made its perilous journey toward his heart. He felt his vision fading slowly and his breathing slow. A great pressure was building over his heart. He concluded that he was only seconds away from death. He sighed silently and prepared himself for what was to come.

At that moment, a bright light shown above him. He closed his eyes to the surprising light. Suddenly, a voice, far away and feminine, made its way to him. "Who's there?"

Charles' eyes lit up with hope, and the effects of being forgotten started to reverse. Instead of a burning, it was a cooling feeling traveling backwards over the parts it ate away. He flexed his fingers and touched his face, unable to believe what was happening.

Slowly, he felt the feeling return to his legs. He took in a shaky breath and cautiously stood up.

Charles looked up and shielded his eyes at the bright light. He was unable to speak, as he was still in shock.

That feminine voice called out again, "Who's there?"

Charles smiled broadly, for he had a feeling that he knew who it was calling out to him. He was about to respond, but the light vanished just as quickly as it had come, leaving him alone in the dark once more. He looked down at his hands and blinked.

Someone had heard him.

Someone was thinking about him.

He wasn't alone, and he just might be able to survive.

His eyes looked up once more where the light was. "…Raven…help me," he called out.

There wasn't a light, or anything else proving that it was, indeed, Raven answering, but he heard a strangled rasp of a voice answer back, "I can't…I need help…"

Charles was caught off guard. He had called Raven, after all, but it was surreal to hear a real voice answer him back.

His eyes narrowed as he learned that Raven needed his help, probably just has much as he needed hers. "I'll find a way," he promised. "I'll find a way."


	5. Chapter 5

*In all honesty, I had some difficulty writing this chapter. I'm trying to go on what the medication does to Raven throughout her day. Hopefully, it all makes sense. Enjoy!*

*For Joel*

Exhaustion

"Miss Raven, are you alright?"

Raven's eyes opened slowly to see her nurse hovering above her, a worried expression on her face. "What…happened?" she asked, her voice raspy.

The nurse sighed. "You had a mental breakdown…you were unstable and…we had to sedate you."

She placed a hand on her chest. "They…need help…" she whispered.

"Who needs help?" the nurse asked gently.

"I don't know…but I can hear them…they're calling me…" she felt tears in her eyes.

"Please…you must eat something." She helped the former sit up.

"I'm not hungry," she said bitterly.

"I'll…give you a minute," she said as she left the room.

The dark sorceress stood up, looking outside the window. The glass had been replaced as well the clock by her bed. It was late in the afternoon. Her eyes flickered to the door and she floated out, looking around. Some of the residents were chatting with one another, most of them wondering why she had not shouted in the morning. It was such a common occurrence to hear her shouting that it was strange when she didn't do it this morning.

Raven floated out and all eyes landed on her. She put her head down and sighed. She just wanted to find out who had tried to contacting her. Whoever they were, she couldn't stop thinking of them.

She decided to sit on a metal chair facing the window.

A few minutes later, the nurse arrived and placed a tray of food on her lap. "Eat up," she said softly before walking away.

She ate automatically, not paying attention to the taste. Her mind wandering back to the strange voice. How had they contacted her? Why were they contacting her? Who was contacting her?

She threw the fork back down on the tray of half eaten food and crossed her arms.

One of the residents, an older man who referred to himself as 'Dr. Light', glanced at her. "What's the matter? Not hungry?" he asked condescendingly.

Her eyes flickered to the old man beside her. He was wearing a white hospital gown and dingy slippers. He was missing most of his teeth and was balding at an exponential rate. He glared her, almost begrudgingly.

Raven stood up and placed the tray on the ground. She couldn't explain why she disliked him so strongly, but she ignored him and walked back to her room.

Her eyes were heavy and she felt exhausted. Grant it, it was a possible side effect of the medication and the apparent sedation, but she couldn't shake the feeling that another major reason she was so languid now was because of…what she did.

Her eyes strayed toward her hands. "How did I do that…?" she asked herself. She couldn't quite remember what had happened. She heard that voice…those doctors tried restraining her…she felt scared…

Instinct; that was it. She was in danger, and she was protecting herself. "Why would I need to protect myself anyway…" she asked herself.

"Because you're a hero," a woman said.

Raven turned her head to see one of the residents sitting at a table, drinking a cup of water. She recognized her as Mary.

Mary had always been the one to tell her she was a hero; a hero with many friends.

"Hmph," the white cloaked girl uttered. "I'm no hero," she spat as she crossed her arms.

"Yes you are…" she placed her water down and stood up.

She had red hair up to her neck, and she was wearing a pale yellow blouse and faded jeans with paint stains on them. Raven didn't know much about her history except the she was only in the hospital because she had become disconnected from the world after her daughter committed suicide 2 years prior. Mary refused to talk to anyone or seek help, causing her to lose her job and unable to live on her own. Her family visited often, but they were no help to her. In fact, the only person Mary chose to talk to was Raven.

"What makes you so sure that I'm a hero?" Raven asked dryly.

Mary didn't meet her eyes. "We're all locked up in here because we have problems…but you…you're just creating something out of nothing."

Raven shook her head. "Impossible. You can't make something out of nothing."

"Exactly," Mary replied curtly. "Your friends are out there. But you refuse to acknowledge their existence."

"My friends…were never real…I made them up…because I was lonely…" her voice took a dead tone.

"They are very real…just like that demon inside you…it is very real…they just force you take all sorts of different medications…haven't you noticed that none of it works the way you want it to?" Mary had somewhat of a cynical expression on her face.

"So? Nothing works here, anyway," she said blankly.

Mary chuckled. "Now you are making nothing out of something. They're giving you something, and it's not doing nothing."

She huffed and walked the rest of the way to her room. She was scowling, wondering why out of everyone else here, Mary chose to talk to her.

The medication wasn't helping. It was only making her tired and her vision blurry.

Raven stopped dead in her tracks.

She realized something…she had not heard the voice all day, except for the middle of the night and the morning…

"I…took the medication right before I heard the voice…could it be…"

She heard Mary's voice behind her, "That the medication is slowly making you unable to use your powers, hero?"

Raven turned around slowly. "That's not true…"

"It is very true. You were only able to hear that voice because the medication wasn't in your system. Once it was…"

Raven's nurse walked up to Raven quickly. "Miss Raven, you must rest now," she urged, taking her arm and leading her the rest of the way to her room.

Raven let the nurse guide her. Once she was inside, the nurse smiled, looking worried. "Please, get plenty of rest." The nurse shuffled away.

"Hmm…" Raven walked over to her bed and laid down. "Strange…even for her…"

There was no doubt that Raven suspected something was happening. But it was perhaps just her irrational thoughts. She was crazy, after all. "Hell, I'm in a mental hospital," she muttered to herself.

But was that really it? Her thoughts jumped from topic to topic and from conclusion to conclusion.

Mary's words sounded in her mind. "They're giving you something, and it's not doing nothing."

Raven started drifting off to sleep. "Maybe…she's right…maybe…nothing works here, but not in the way I think they don't work…"

By now, the effects of the medication was starting to wear thin. Raven's eyes closed and she entered a deep slumber, wondering just what she was going to see in her dreams tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

*Hooray for another chapter! I am working on making these chapters longer, so expect there to be delays in updating in the future. I had fun writing this chapter. You'll understand why! Enjoy!*

*For Joel*

A Shot in the Dark

His arms continued to sting and his legs were sore. He sat cross legged on the ground, eating more of the MRE's he had in his bag. His food and water supply were running low. He knew he had to act fast if he even wanted a chance at survival. It had been some time since he last heard Raven's voice.

Something started drifting in around him. It appeared to be fog. His eyes narrowed. "Weird," he muttered through a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Charles stood up, putting the rest of his food back in his bag. The white fog continued to roll in. He wasn't afraid, but more curious as to what was going on.

His hands moved to his face, rubbing his eyes. He thought, perhaps, that he was seeing things. He had been wandering by himself for a while. Maybe he was finally losing his mind.

A sudden thought crossed his mind. Maybe none of this was real. Maybe he was just imagining hearing Raven's voice. Maybe the fog wasn't real. Maybe…he had finally snapped and was just prolonging his time left.

"Hello…?"

His head snapped up, that feminine voice snatching him away from his own irrational thoughts. It was distant, but it was enough to send him into a sprint through the fog in an effort to find the girl who owned the voice.

"Raven?" he asked through the thickening fog. As much as his legs were hurting from the sudden sprint, he refused to stop. This was the moment he was waiting for. "Raven!?" he called out again.

He stopped running for a moment to listen for a response. He heard the sound of something scraping against the ground. He jerked his head to the right, his eyes narrowing into the fog. "Raven…?" He peered into the thick veil. Slowly, cautiously, he tried waving away it with his arms.

That was when he felt a hard pressure on his back. His face met the ground. It took him a split second to realize someone had pushed him.

He whirled around and was horrified at what he saw. A dark black creature stood hunched over him. Its pale yellow eyes were unblinking and glowing. Its breathing was ragged and a long grey tongue hung out of the side. Charles' eyes darted to its feet and was shocked to see black hooves. His eyes moved toward the creature's long steel-like claws before he rolled over to the side, dodging its attempt at impaling him through the stomach.

The young hero stood up, his heart pounding. He had not expected to run into anything like this. The creature growled, sending chills down Charles' spine. It lashed out at him with its long claws. That was when he noticed a long spiked tail whipping back and forth.

"You want to dance? Let's dance," he said through his teeth as he powered up, his body taking on an electric blue color. His eyes were pure white as he sent a lethal glare toward the creature. His body had lit up the dark world he was in, and it reflected against the fog. It became much more difficult to see, so he took to the sky.

To his horror, the creature sprouted bat-like wings on its back. It screeched shrilly before charging at him.

He gritted his teeth and fired a series of electric bolts toward it. The creature howled in pain. It looked for him, but because of the bright lights reflecting the fog, it was only confusing itself.

Charles smiled to himself as he circled the creature at lightning speed. He watched with satisfaction as it tried to lock down on him. Its head whipped back and forth; crying out at the same time. He realized the light was causing it pain.

He charged up even more and made his body brighter. With a final yelp, the creature started pummeling to the ground. Charles chased after it, wanting to make sure it would not be coming back to fight.

It landed with a loud thud, causing the fog to clear slightly. He floated down and watched the rise and fall of its chest. Without a moment's hesitation, he electrocuted the creature until it stopped breathing. He smiled to himself, smug that he was able to take it down so easily.

He planted his feet on the ground and dusted himself off. "Not a scratch on me," he said with a satisfied grin.

He heard the sound of chattering behind him. He immediately turned around, conjuring a ball of electricity in his hand and faced whatever it was, ready to attack. His eyes were pure white and his teeth were bared.

His eyes widened and he immediately put his hand down, letting the ball of electricity disappear. Guilt and sorrow flooded through him as the figure continued to shake uncontrollably in front him.

He couldn't believe what, or better yet, who he was seeing. The white cloaked girl was trembling, and her amethyst eyes were wide with fear. She was on the ground, her hands on either side of her. There were tears in her eyes, threatening to make watery trails on her cheeks.

Charles' mouth gaped open, unable to think of anything to say. What could he say? She had just witnessed him try to attack her. He put his hands up, like a suspect approaching a cop. "Raven…?"

A single tear fell out of her left eye. Her lower lip trembled as she opened her mouth slowly. "Who…who are you…?"

He felt his heart drop for a brief moment, for she had not remembered who he was. He cleared his throat. "It's me, your friend, Kilowatt," he said gently.

She immediately started shaking her head. "No…no…there isn't such a thing…"

He grimaced. He still had not powered down, for he feared that it would frighten her if he attempted to do anything. "What do you mean…?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "You're just a figment…you'll disappear…just like the others…you have to…"

He took in a deep breath. "Raven, you have to listen to me."

She covered her ears and shook her head. "No…just go away…please…"

"Raven please," he said desperately.

That was when Raven turned around and stumbled to her feet. She was running away, not even glancing behind her.

"Wait!" he called out to her. He flew after her and caught up with her easily. He noticed she was still covering her ears and closing her eyes.

"Get away!" she yelled. "Leave me alone!"

His hope started to fade. "Raven please, I'm not just a figment! Open your eyes!"

Raven tripped over her cloak, she threw her arms over her face in an effort to protect herself from the landing.

Charles acted quickly and caught her just before she hit the ground.

She uncovered her face, her eyes red rimmed. "Y-you're not…you can't be…"

He smiled warmly. "I'm here for you…you said you needed help remember?"

She shook her head as she hid her face from him. She stopped trembling.

He held her; comforting her. "Let me help you," he whispered softly.


	7. Chapter 7

*Ah, this chapter was slightly difficult for me to write. In all honesty, this is only a filler chapter. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy reading it. As I was writing, I had 'Take it out on me' by Thousand Foot Krutch playing in the background. It inspired me at the end As always, please R&R.*

*For Joel*

A matter of Time

A light breeze swept across her face. She hummed contently to herself, for the breeze felt pleasant. She didn't have the desire to open her eyes.

It was cool, not cold. She opened her mouth and sighed, completely relaxed. The moment she let out her sigh, the breeze became colder.

She shook her head, suddenly panicking at the idea of losing her state of relaxation.

"No," she thought to herself. "I don't want this moment to end…"

Unfortunately, her blissful state came to an end, as the breeze turned from cool to icy cold. As much as she didn't want to, she opened her eyes slightly.

She was greeted by the sight of a black void. She was on the ground, peering up at the never ending darkness. Disdainfully, she sat up. She rubbed her temples and wanted to cry out in frustration. This was a reoccurring nightmare for her. By now, she should have been used to seeing the same empty world. But for some reason, it never ceased to chill her to the bone.

She hugged her knees to her chest and let out a shaky sigh. "I just wish this would end," she whispered to herself.

As if on cue, a misty fog started making its way in around her. She looked around. It was a familiar sight, one of which she saw many nights before. "Someone…"

Who could she ask for? She had no friends, and the only people she ever talked to were the doctors and nurses in the hospital. She was alone, and she always would be.

Her mind wandered back to the voice she had heard. It wasn't real, she told herself. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. It was just another side effect of the medication. It was just her overactive imagination. No matter what the cause, it wasn't real, and she knew it couldn't be.

She could feel the loneliness eating away at her. It was like a parasite leeching off of her existence. Her life was its life ring. She held her hand against her chest. Once she felt the soft beating of her heart, she nodded. Sometimes she did that just to make sure she was really alive. Most days, she felt like a soulless being.

The fog grew thicker. She waved in front of it and the action moved very little from her field of vision. Her ears perked at the sound of rustling far away.

"Hello…?" she called out.

She couldn't hear a response. Taking in a deep breath, she stood up, peering into the white veil. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to take a step inside. It was an unusual sensation. It was cold, yet she didn't shiver.

Far away, she heard someone yell, "Raven!?"

Her eyes widened. "W-what…?" It was the same voice again. She trembled slightly, afraid to find out who it was calling for her.

Although she was afraid, she was also curious. Raven suppressed her fear and continued walking through the fog, listening for the voice, anything that would shed some light on her irrational thoughts.

She was about to call out again, until she heard something slapping across the ground. She turned her head slowly, suddenly fearful. Her eyes were wide, scanning through the fog.

That was when she saw him. It was man with blonde hair. He had his back to her and he was breathing heavily. She narrowed her eyes.

He was unknown to her, yet something seemed familiar.

"Raven…?"

She covered her mouth. It was him. He was the one calling out to her; making her rethink everything she thought she knew about. She didn't dare utter a sound. Who was he?

Her fear spiked and suddenly, he was pushed to the ground. Her eyes landed on the horrid creature standing above him. Instinctually, she held her hands up, as if preparing to fight it, but before she even realized what she was doing, the blonde man started moving.

To her surprise, he was already standing up, ready to fight. She crouched into the fog, not wanting to be seen by him. To make her look more blended in, she covered herself with her cloak. She kept her eyes on him, and hoped to Azar that the creature wouldn't notice her as well.

She heard him exchange a few words with the creature before a blinding light hit her eyes. She dragged her hood over her face, and winced at the sudden amount of light.

She opened them slightly and was bewildered to see the blonde man, now a bright blue, facing the monster. The light emanating from his body reflected off the fog, making it much harder to see. Raven rubbed her eyes, as they grew irritated.

The moment she took her hands off her eyes, the blue man was gone, for he had taken to the sky. Her head tilted slightly as she wondered how he was able to do that. She watched in awe as he shot the monster with blue bolts of electricity.

However, the monster had different ideas. To her surprise, it grew wings and took to sky as well.

Although she expected it to be a challenge, the battle didn't last long. The man had an advantage over the creature. He was fast; lightning fast.

She was suddenly fearful. He was attacking this creature mercilessly and he seemed to be enjoying it.

Her eyes widened as she started putting the pieces together. He was looking for her, perhaps wanting to hurt her. She started backing away, intending on running away. But the creature suddenly landed on the ground in front of her, obviously injured and unable to fight anymore.

That was when the man landed in front of the creature, and in front of her as well. His back was turned to her, so he couldn't see her.

She thought it was all over, but to her horror, he started electrocuting the monster.

Her eyes were wide as she watched the creature cry out in pain, until it could no longer make a sound.

He stopped electrocuting it, watching as it took its last breath and died. She heard him say, "Not a scratch on me."

Involuntarily, her teeth started chattering out of fear. Her instincts were telling her to run far away. This didn't feel right to her.

She saw him stiffen quickly and turn around.

Her heart stopped the moment he faced her. He had a ball of electricity in his hand, ready to strike her where she sat. His eyes were pure white, making him appear even deadlier than she imagined. She was at his mercy, and she was afraid he didn't have any left in his system. Tears started forming in her eyes.

The moment he made eye contact with her, the ball of electricity disappeared. He appeared to be thinking of something to say.

_Run_, she thought.

Before she could execute her thoughts, he put his hands up. "Raven…?"

She felt herself trembling even more. A tear trailed down her face. "Who…who are you…?"

His reaction looked slightly pained as he answered back, "It's me, your friend, Kilowatt."

She denied it. It wasn't possible. She didn't have any friends. And if she did, she simply imagined them.

Nevertheless, the figment continued talking to her, trying to explain himself, but she wouldn't have any of it. She covered her ears and shook her head. "No…just go away…please…"

She heard this so-called Kilowatt continue to try and talk to her, but while he had been explaining, she had found the will to run, and felt the strength return to her legs.

Although she stumbled, she managed to stand up and start running away. She didn't bother looking back, but she could feel him by her side again, flying next to her.

Raven grunted in frustration, wishing he would just leave her alone. "Get away!" she yelled, "Leave me alone!"

She had heard him yell at her to open her eyes, but she refused to listen. As she ran, she felt herself trip over her cloak. Her eyes snapped open as she felt her balance disappear right from under her. Out of instinct, she threw her arms over her face to protect her from the fall.

But she never made it to the ground. She felt his hands grasp her just before impact. There were a million thoughts running to her mind, but the ones that stood out the most concerned his existence.

She uncovered her face to meet his eyes. "Y-you're not…you can't be," she breathed

She watched as he smiled. It was a warm smile; a smile that seemed to draw her in. "I'm here for you…you said you needed help, remember?" He spoke softly.

Her eyes went wide for a second, before she closed them slightly as the tears welled over. She covered her face in her hands, and felt him hold her tighter to him. He had heard her…and he had claimed to be here for her.

She felt him lean in closer to her. "Let me help you," he whispered.

Raven voiced her tears, unable to believe what was happening. Although he was here and telling her he wanted to help her, she still shook her head. "No one can help me…"

She felt his fingers flex against her. "That's not true. You helped me, the least I can do is return the favor."

She hiccupped. "H-how…? I-I don't even remember you…" Her tears continued to spill out.

"Well…you can start off by trusting me…" he suggested. He moved her to face him.

Raven closed her eyes. "I…I can't…I can't fall apart…" she whispered through her choked sobs.

He held her against his chest. "You _can_ fall apart…I'll support you," he stated.

That was it. She couldn't hold it in any longer. She gripped him tightly and started sobbing uncontrollably. She yelled in anguish, angry at herself for imagining people who made her so happy in the past.

Every tear, every tremble, every cry, and every sob made her think of everything she had made up in her life. "W-what was I thinking…" she managed to choke out.

Kilowatt started to sit on the ground, taking her with him. "Just let it all out…scream…shout…anything to make you feel better," he whispered.

Raven laid her head against him, suddenly feeling exhausted. She said nothing as she continued to cry, no longer questioning why Kilowatt was here.

His words repeated themselves over and over in her mind. _Let me help you_.

Although she believed with all of her heart that no one could ever help her, she decided she would let him try.


	8. Chapter 8

*Hello, I'm back again! I'm hoping you are all enjoying the ride so far. There's a little more interaction between the two in this one, so I hope that brings a smile to your face. Enjoy! Please R&R!*

*For Joel*

Just a Dream

Raven felt herself relax in his embrace. She didn't bother running away or fending him off. She hoped it wasn't a dream. This was the only comfort she had felt in a while, and to her own surprise, she was enjoying it.

His voice pierced the peaceful silence. "R-Raven…?" he appeared to be in distress.

She opened her eyes, and was shocked to see a horrified expression on his face. "What…?"

He seemed to be in a panic. "Y-you're disappearing…!"

"W-what…!?" she glanced at her hands and sure enough, they were translucent. She looked down at her body and was horrified to see that she was indeed disappearing.

"Raven, please don't go," he begged, his eyes taking on a desperate look.

She met his eyes, unsure of what to do. Her body had become nearly invisible. "Kilowatt…" she breathed, before she completely disappeared from his sight.

A strange sensation took over her body. Her world had become bright white and she shielded her eyes. She was falling. Her arms flailed as she tried to reach for something to grab onto, but there was nothing within her reach.

Raven awoke shortly, jolting upright in her bed. She placed a hand over her chest, trying to calm down. She breathed heavily as her eyes wandered the room, confirming that she was back in the hospital. She rubbed her head and glanced at the clock. It was 7 in the morning.

Every detail in her dream was crystal clear to her. After she managed to calm her heartbeat, she swung her legs off of the bed and walked toward the window.

That was when she heard his voice, Kilowatt's voice, "Raven, please come back…"

She kept her head low. Everything she had dreamed about was real. Kilowatt was a real person, trapped, and in need of help. She sighed.

She heard the door open behind her, and listened to her nurse shuffle in. Raven remembered her suspicions about the medication, and felt apprehensive about taking it.

"Miss Raven?" she asked quietly.

"What?" she asked, her voice raspy from her slumber.

"Please, take this…" she held a small cup of white liquid and tried handing it to her.

"Nothing works here," she said dryly, not taking the cup.

Her nurse continued to hold the cup out for her. "We are doing our best to help you," she said calmly.

Raven's eyes averted back to the window. "What exactly are you trying to give me?"

The nurse seemed surprised at her question. "It is simply something to help you…just a dose of serotonin."

Raven shook her head. "You give me something different every morning."

"We have to try new things because we haven't found anything to cure this mental state you are currently in," she explained.

Raven took the cup from her, examining the white liquid. The nurse watched her closely.

Raven's eyes narrowed as she focused on the liquid in the cup. Something shifted inside her mind and she whipped her head to the left, bringing the rim of the paper cup to her lips.

She allowed the liquid to flow out of the cup, but not into her mouth. She had found the will to concentrate just enough to hide the liquid inside her cloak. Her mouth was open against the cup, making it appear that she had indeed, drank the medication. She gave the cup back to the waiting nurse.

"Thank you…breakfast will be here shortly," she said as she walked out with the empty cup.

As soon as the nurse was out of sight, Raven quickly walked out. The medication continued to be hidden in her cloak as she did so. She nearly ran to the bathroom and locked herself in. Once she was sure that no one had followed her, she released the medication into the sink and watched it swirl down the drain.

"No more medication," she muttered to herself as she walked back out.

Her eyes wandered the hospital. Most of the residents were sitting down and eating breakfast. Some curious eyes landed on her and silently made assumptions about her. Some turned their heads away and others simply shook their heads.

Raven suddenly realized she couldn't allow anyone to think there was something wrong with her. It had felt strange not taking any medication this morning. Her vision was perfectly clear and she didn't feel drowsy. Just when she thought she'd be able to pull off her act, the floor disappeared beneath her.

She gasped and looked down. She was…floating. Her heartbeat quickened as images from her past started making its way into her head. She gritted her teeth at seeing the figments in her mind. She forced her feet back on the ground and closed her eyes, trying to erase the images she saw in her head.

She hoped to Azar that no one noticed. Without a second thought to what just happened, she pulled her hood up and walked to a table, not acknowledging anyone.

A tray of food was placed before her. "Please eat," her nurse said softly.

Raven eyed the eggs and bacon on her plate and immediately picked up a fork. She stabbed the yellow egg and placed it in her mouth, suddenly feeling famished.

Her nurse seemed surprised for a moment, before walking away.

She ate ravenously, making sure to eat every last scrap. She even went as far to lift her plate and scrape it clean. Her eyes landed on the carton of orange juice and she ripped open the white cardboard and drank every last drop of the juice.

After she finished her breakfast, she noticed the residents staring at her, specifically, Mary.

She wasn't surprised to see her walk up to her. Raven turned her head away. Mary spoke, "You look different."

"Hmph…" the former crossed her arms and didn't meet her eyes. She was doing her best to be herself as much as possible. She didn't want anyone to think she wasn't taking medication, not even Mary.

Mary shrugged. "You look different to me…did you take the medication this morning?"

Raven nodded, not saying anything.

Mary shook her head. "I still have hope for you…hero." She turned away from her.

Raven's eyes widened slightly at the word hero. She stood up and walked back to her room. She had managed to deceive the nurse and possibly the doctors, so she felt it was safe to try and listen for Kilowatt.

She isolated herself in her room and laid down on the bed. She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and concentrating. Even after being in the hospital for many years and taking the medication, she still had a passion for just letting go. She chanted her mantra in her head silently, not wanting to catch unwanted attention.

The moment she felt at peace, she heard his voice. "Raven?" It was distant, yet very clear.

She answered back silently, "You are Kilowatt?"

The sound of a sigh was heard before he answered, "Yes, I'm so glad you can hear me."

Raven kept her eyes closed. "I don't know who you are, or how you contacted me, but how do you want me to help you?"

He was silent for a moment. "Many years ago…you saved me from my own dimension. You literally pulled me from a portal."

She grimaced. "…I…did no such thing…you must be mistaken…"

Kilowatt persisted. "No, I'm positive you did it. Raven, where are you? Where are the other titans?"

She shook her head. "There's no such thing…they were never real…"

"Yes they are," he said sternly. "I remember them."

"Liar," she said lowly. "Don't try to trick me…"

"Raven…"

"No. I won't let you, or anyone take me back there…"

Kilowatt sighed. "Let me help you," he said again.

She said nothing for a moment. She sensed no deception in his intention, but how could he possibly help her? "…How?"

He remembered Cyborg saying something about his electromagnetic powers boosting her telepathic powers. "You don't have to do anything…you still have your telepathic powers, right?"

Her eyes widened. "H-how do you know about my powers…?"

"I'm your friend," he answered simply.

"No…no you're not…"

"Look, I just need you concentrate on making a portal. Can you do that?"

She thought for a moment. "I…don't know…"

He tried to remain hopeful. "I'll be able to help you with that. Raven, I don't have much time left…we need to do this as soon as possible…"

Raven bit her lip. "You're asking too much from me…I'm…just a sorceress who's lost her mind…"

"Not to me, you aren't," he said softly. "Try to regain your strength…this has to be done if you want my help."

His help…could he really help her? She doubted him to a great extent, but even though he probably would not be able to help her, she still did not want him to get hurt. After seeing him in her dream, she felt some sort of bond with him. It wasn't a friendly bond, but more of a life or death situation type bond. "…Okay."

Although she couldn't see it, he smiled. "When do you think you'll be ready?"

Her eyes opened and she stared at the ceiling. "Tonight," she said aloud.


	9. Chapter 9

*Alright, I have some more rising action for you! I sure hope you like this chapter. Writing from Charlie's POV is a little difficult for me, as I love Raven to pieces! Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy!*

*For Joel*

The Portal

Kilowatt fidgeted, clearly nervous. He was running out of food by the minute and his only hope of ever existing again laid in the hands of a doubting sorceress. He listened for her voice, ready to go whenever she was.

She had asked him to give her some time to herself so she could concentrate hard enough. He remembered her words clearly.

"K-Kilowatt…if…you are real…and this is to work…I'll need time to gather my strength…I don't believe I am who you say I am…but I don't want you to get hurt, whoever you may be…I think you may have the wrong girl…maybe you have me confused with another Raven…"

He sighed. It was her, he was sure of it. How could he forget her amethyst eyes? Or her violet locks that framed her face so perfectly? The look in her eyes when she had rescued him…was one of warmth and kindness. He smiled fondly at the memory, knowing he could never thank her enough.

He remembered her determination to send him back to his own dimension. He had almost made the decision to stay in Jump City with the Teen Titans instead. Almost.

The moment he saw Mirage on the other side waiting him, he knew he couldn't stay. He had to fight by her side. He clutched his chest at the memory of her. He had always loved her, but she made it very clear that she didn't return his feelings.

Kilowatt sighed, wondering what it was he did wrong. What did Nightwing have that he didn't? He gritted his teeth, wishing he could have been the one to capture Mirage's heart.

"Just forget about her," he grunted to himself. Although he said it, he believed with all his heart that he could never mean it.

He continued to think about Mirage and the Team Titans, when he heard a certain sorceress's voice. "…Kilowatt…?"

He felt his heartbeat quicken. "Raven?" he said her name softly.

"I…" she sounded unsure, "I'm ready."

He looked for her in the dark, but only heard her voice. "Are you sure?" as much as he wanted to get out of this empty void, he found that he didn't want to risk anything happening to Raven.

She was silent for a moment before answering, "Yes."

He stood up. "Alright…Raven, I need you to focus…remember where we were in that dream?"

"…Yes."

"Focus on that," he said. "Focus on me…focus on Jump City…"

He heard Raven take in a deep breath. "Y-you're asking a lot from me…"

He bit his lip. "Raven…you said you needed help, remember?"

"…Yes…."

"Let me help you," he said softly.

He heard her breathe out slowly, before he heard her chant those azarathean words, "Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…"

Hearing the words sent chills down his spine. He could feel himself getting stronger as he listened to her chant in that beautiful foreign language. He charged up, concentrating on her words, in an effort to link his electromagnetic powers to her telepathic powers. He too, concentrated and focused his power and energy on her.

Blue sparks were flying off his body, shooting into the dark around him. His eyes were closed, trying his hardest to erase all other thoughts from his mind.

He heard Raven speak, "I-I can't get to you," she said through gritted teeth. "Something is in the way…"

Kilowatt didn't answer back, for he already guessed what the problem was.

Mirage.

He grinded his teeth, trying to push his former love from his mind. He shook his head, shaking off her memory. But he found he couldn't get rid of her image completely. "I'm trying," he said back to her.

He heard her grunt. "Try harder…I don't know how much longer I can do this…"

His eyes opened and he saw a small opening to a portal appear before him. How could she do that so easily, while he was having trouble erasing Mirage from his mind? He concentrated harder. He concluded that she believed she had nothing to interfere in her mind, making is easier to focus on him. However, even though she was clearly an expert at focusing her energy, she didn't have much to lend.

Raven's breathing became hitched, and the portal was starting to flicker. "I-I…can't keep this up any longer," she whispered.

He could hear her struggling, and his heart dropped. "Raven, I'm trying…I'm trying so hard…" his tone was desperate, but he could only see Mirage in his mind.

Raven's voice became desperate, "Kilowatt…help me…" she begged.

His eyes were shut tight at hearing her, "Raven…" he thought to himself. "Miriam…" he saw her smile, heard her melodious voice…

"…Liar…" he heard Raven say.

His eyes snapped open. "W-what?"

The portal started die down. "You don't want to help me," she choked. "I can see your thoughts…you want to help someone else…I'm no one to you!" she shouted.

His eyes widened. "Raven, no," he said quickly.

"You _are_ just a figment!" Although he couldn't see her, he could hear her start to cry.

He grunted. "Raven, don't talk like that!"

"You're not real, you're not real!" she was crying now, her voice muffled by her hands.

He couldn't bear to hear her like this. He watched in agony as the portal grew smaller and smaller.

"Liar! Liar!" her voice broke.

He shut his eyes again and unleashed all of his power, unable to hear anymore. He shouted and found the will to clear his mind of Mirage. He no longer saw her face, but rather saw Raven's. It was Raven he saw. The moment he saw her, he felt a strong breeze whip past his face. "Raven?" he called out.

He heard nothing.

He opened his eyes and was shocked at what he saw. The portal was fully developed, and inside was Jump City. Without any hesitation, he leaped through the portal, charging down.

He landed on something hard and realized he jumped into an old alleyway, the scent of strong coffee hitting his nostrils.

His body was no longer blue, confirming that he had charged down. He was breathing heavily, and his heart was racing. He also felt incredibly exhausted. Charles tried to stand, but he was weak. His eyes were threatening to close, begging him to recharge.

As much as he tried to fight it, he couldn't. He mumbled a barely audible, "Raven…" before he passed out in the dark alleyway.


	10. Chapter 10

*I feel like such a terrible person. If I felt bad about doing this to Raven, then I'm never going to forgive myself for what I plan on doing in the future . *

*For Joel*

No Hope

Raven was unsure about helping the man from her dream, but the more she tried to deny his existence as a whole, the more she heard his voice in her mind. She was unwilling at first, but once she was able to sense how desperate he was, she decided to go against her beliefs and try to help him.

She remembered her agreement that night. Although she still had little energy, she wanted to help him as soon as possible. For the first time, she felt something she thought she would never feel again: hope.

The former played her part, and she played it well. It wasn't hard, really. She was used to concentrating. She was used to clearing her mind. It was who she was, and what she did every day.

Kilowatt, however, was not.

Why couldn't she get to him? What was in the way? She gritted her teeth, a little frustrated that he wasn't able to open up to her. She didn't have much time left, and she made it very clear.

Nevertheless, Raven pushed with all of her might. Her eyes were shut tight, seeing images of her mind. All she saw was fog, and then she saw him.

Kilowatt was standing in the dark in front of a small portal; blue sparks flying off his body. "Kilowatt…help me," she begged.

She heard him answer back that he was trying. She was able to sense that he was trying the best he could. Not wanting to hear him struggle, she projected her soul self into his mind, attempting to help him clear it.

That was when she saw someone.

It was a woman. She bore hair black as night, dark eyes, and a white cloak.

Raven felt something inside her shatter. Her eyes snapped open, fully understanding why he couldn't open up. He never wanted to help her. No, he wanted to help someone else.

"…Liar…" she growled.

"W-what?"

Raven felt the tether on her control being tugged on. She heard the curtains flapping in her room. She wasn't even concerned about waking anybody up. Her heart was wiped clean of any hope that settled there. "You don't want to help me…I can see your thoughts…you want to help someone else…" She felt her voice break and tears trail down her cheeks. "I'm no one to you!"

She heard the glass window shatter, and the muffled voices of the doctors and nurses. Her bed sheets were ripped from the twin mattress and flying around the small room. Her eyes were pure white as she felt the incredible power grow within her.

It was strange. She had not felt this feeling in such a long time. She never bothered to use her powers, unless it was to keep other people away from her.

She sobbed uncontrollably, wanting to forget she ever had powers, to forget everything she made up in her life, and wanting to forget Kilowatt.

Although she was making a lot of noise by breaking other windows in the hospital and waking up the other residents, she still heard his voice, "Raven no," was all he said.

She opened her mouth and unleashed more of her power. She levitated off the ground and outstretched her arms and legs shouting, "You _are_ just a figment!"

He shouted back, "Raven, don't talk like that!"

She was crying and sobbing. She covered her mouth with her hands, attempting to silence herself, but there was no point. Everyone in the hospital was wide awake, afraid of what she would do. "You're not real, you're not real!"

Her heart ached, knowing her mind had betrayed her again. Who was she to believe someone who wasn't real in the first place? Here she was, tearing the hospital apart, and scaring the residents. She tried to calm herself down, but her control was out of her hands. She sobbed and cried out again, "Liar! Liar!"

The moment she spoke those words, something supercharged into her mind. Without concentrating, she saw Kilowatt. He was radiating electricity from all over his body and he was shouting.

She was silent, unable to fight the effect he was having on her. It felt as if he jerked the reins away from her and was now in charge. She continued to levitate in the air, only able to remember a dark alley she had walked into many, many years ago.

She heard him call for her, but she wasn't able to answer back. Windows continued to break, and the residents continued to scream in fear.

That was when she heard her door bust open. She had locked it earlier to prevent their intervention.

"Raven!" she heard a doctor shout.

Her eyes were still glowing, and she was still in the air. She turned her head slightly, but was unable to calm down. Her hands shook and she continued to sob uncontrollably.

She couldn't hear what the doctors were talking about, but after a moment, she felt a sharp pain in her thigh. She screamed in agony and felt her body grow limp. Her arms trembled and she felt the ground again. Her eyes returned to normal and she stumbled to the ground. Her power started to die down as well. Her bed sheets were no longer flying around the room and the curtains were no longer flapping. She could feel the cold breeze of Jump City on her face, for she had completely broken the glass on the window.

She groaned, feeling numb all over. Her vision started to blur as well. She heard the doctors take cautious steps toward her. She wanted to run, she wanted to hide, but her body was weak.

"We can't keep her here," one of the doctors said sternly.

She blinked, her eyes heavy. Her world started fading to black.

"…You're right. We have to send her somewhere else…but where?"

Raven moaned, wanting to interject. However, she could no longer stay awake. Whatever it was they injected her with was starting to take over. The last thing she heard was someone answer, "I know a place for monsters like her."


	11. Chapter 11

*Hi everyone Yes, this is a little long, I hope you don't mind. Anyway, I made this one a little more cheerier! Unfortunately, Raven and Kilowatt don't interact much. I still like the way this chapter turned out, and I hope you will too. Please enjoy, I did add my intake on what the titans' appeared to be like after a few years. Don't forget to R&R!*

*For Joel*

Meeting

Charles opened his eyes slowly. He was greeted with bright sunlight and the scent of coffee and baked pastries. He pushed himself up, guessing that it was late morning. It was cold, much colder than he had expected. He figured it was winter time here, unable to think of any other explanation.

His eyes widened as he remembered the events that took place last night. He stood up and brushed himself off. He felt a slight pain in his knee, suggesting that he had bruised himself when he hurled himself into the portal.

He walked out of the alleyway, looking around. He remembered Jump City, but this part of town was very unfamiliar to him.

He looked around, and noticed he was receiving uncomfortable stares from the citizens. Consciously, he looked down at his attire and grimaced. He was a wreck, and looked like he had been through hell. His eyes scanned the area, and immediately recognized the Pizza Corner at the end of the block. He smiled to himself, knowing where Titans Tower was located from here.

He walked back into another alleyway and after taking a deep breath, he supercharged himself and took on his electric blue color. He took to the sky and felt the cold air brush past him. His heart was pounding, wondering where Raven was.

He knew she wasn't at the tower anymore, and hoped he would be able to locate any of the other titans. His thoughts were flooded with images of the sorceress. He was worried, and wanted to make sure she was okay. After all, they hadn't ended their last conversation on the best of terms.

His eyes lit up when he saw the tower come into view. He flew fast, eager to see if anyone was still in it. He landed on the rocky shore moments later and was horrified at what he saw. The tower appeared to be completely abandoned. There were broken windows and he noticed the front door slightly opened.

He sighed and walked up to the building, feeling melancholy. His hope faded as he continued to stare at the tower. "Where are they?" he asked himself.

He shook his head and started taking steps toward the entrance.

This had to be a joke. There was no way that the titans separated. They said they'd always be together, right? He was going to walk in and they would all jump out and surprise him, telling him they wanted to scare him, or some nonsense like that.

His eyes grew somber as he walked inside. It appeared that no one had been here for years. The feeling of hopelessness started to grow exponentially as he continued to walk within the walls of the tower.

He found himself in the special ops room. The large screen overhead was cracked and dusty. He noticed an old console along with two dusty controllers. He remembered Cyborg and Beast Boy and how they would play competitively with one another. He sighed sadly and continued to look around.

A piece of paper caught his eye on the coffee table. He walked around the couch to pick it up. He took a hold of the yellow paper being held down by an empty cup and looked at the writing.

It was nearly impossible to comprehend, as it was written in a hurry. He figured it was Robin's hand. He was always in a rush and appeared to be busy all the time.

He placed the paper back on the table and glanced at the kitchen area.

He felt his heart skip a beat as he noticed a white mug on the counter.

Charles walked up to it slowly. He noticed the paint chipping in various areas on the wall and the tiles withering away. He shuttered as he peered inside the mug and saw a black rim inside, showing evidence that it was once filled with something.

"Raven…" he breathed her name, wondering where she was. He looked at the double doors, leading to the hallways they held the bedrooms. He found himself running to the doors yelling out, "Robin!?"

He sprinted through the halls, calling out the titan's names. "Cyborg!?" He panted, his eyes darting everywhere. "Beast Boy!? Starfire!?"

He ran into all of their rooms, calling out for them. There were tears in his eyes as he did so. He was desperate to find someone, anyone. His heart was heavy, holding concern for his friends.

Where had they gone? Why did they disappear? What caused them to separate like this? They were friends! They were a family! Did that mean anything to them?

His legs grew tired as he sprinted all over the tower. He must have checked every single room of the tower at least twice. The only room he didn't check was…

"Raven's…" he mumbled to himself.

He wanted to, but he was afraid. He was afraid that if the moment he stepped foot into her room, he would break down.

Despite his fears, he found himself walking to her bedroom, his hands shaking. He watched in sadness as he saw the letters on the metal door read, 'RAVEN'.

He closed his eyes and slid the door open, a metal screech making its way into his hears.

It was dark, and he expected it. Raven had always been a dark person. But being dark doesn't make you a bad person. No, the dark was simply misunderstood. Those in the dark didn't like being in the spotlight. Those are the kinds of people with the most history. They're like a big book in the back of the library. No one goes there, and those who do don't typically reach for the dusty bindings or the yellowing pages. The ones in the dark stay hidden, and only open up to those who are willing to read them. That was Raven. Always quiet, and always observing.

He glanced at the curtains. He stepped inside, cautiously, as if he were expecting her to teleport behind him and question his actions in that monotonous voice of hers.

It didn't happen and his heart sank. He walked toward the violet curtains and pulled them back, letting the sun seep through.

A wave of emotion came crashing down on him as he scanned her room. It was just as she left it. Her books were crammed into the bookcase, along with various chests and small vials. Her bed was made neatly and consisted of dark purple bedding. He looked at the statues around her room and admired her taste in décor. He strolled over to her vanity and looked at his reflection for the first time.

He truly was a wreck. His hair was messy and it stuck out in various directions. His clothes were worn and torn in some areas. He blinked, wishing this was all a dream. He wanted none of this to be true. He wanted to wake up and…

He scoffed. And what? He no longer existed in his own dimension. No, he couldn't just stand here and wish for something that would never happen. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

His eyes landed back toward the window. "I'll find you, Raven…I'll find you, and I'll find the others…I won't give up."

He walked up to the window and opened it wide. A gust of cold wind hit his face. He stared at the city, filled with determination. "They're out there somewhere, and I'm going to find them."

He charged up, and flew out of Raven's room. The air was cold and the water below appeared frigid. He noticed a few grey clouds starting to form over the city. He shuttered, as he didn't like the rain, or any type of precipitation for that matter.

He landed on a sidewalk and powered down. He glanced around at the people walking by. His eyes narrowed as he tried to think of where he could find the other titans.

He decided it was best to ask around for now. After scanning the block, he decided to approach a man sitting at a bus stop.

He appeared to be in his late 20's, or early 30's. He was reading a book, and not really paying much attention to anything around him. Charlie walked up, a small smile on his face. "Excuse me, sir?"

The man glanced up from his book and grimaced at Charlie. "Yes?"

His voice was deep. Charlie's eyes softened slightly. "I'm looking for someone…a group of people, actually. I was wondering if you'd be able to help me."

The man closed his book and looked up at Charlie. "I can try."

He smiled. "I'm looking for the Teen Titans, the superheroes who used to live in the tower on that rocky island."

The man furrowed his brows. "The Teen Titans, huh?" he chuckled. "They're history…they disbanded a long time ago."

He felt his heart sink. "Yeah…I noticed that…do you have any idea where they are now?"

The man thought for a moment. "Well…I heard the green kid, well, he's not a kid anymore…" he shrugged. "I heard he's doing stand-up at a rundown restaraunt downtown."

Charlie's eyes lit up. "Really? Do you happen to know what the restaurant is called?"

"Um…Animal's Den, I believe…something like that…"

Charlie thought for a moment. "Where is it located, exactly?"

"You know where the Bank of Perez is?" he watched as Charlie nodded. "Well, it is a couple blocks south of there. There's a huge green neon sign, you can't miss it."

"Thank you, thank you very much," he said with a smile.

The man nodded and opened his book again. "As for the others…I couldn't tell you. Pretty sure they all left the city."

Charlie started walking away, waving at the man as he did so. "It's no problem, again, thank you."

He walked quickly, determined to find the former. He kept his head low, thinking about Raven. He had tried contacting her, but his head was aching from the events that took place last night. He only hoped that she was okay.

He noticed the sun starting to move farther across the sky. His eyes landed on a small boutique and he noticed the clock read 2:10. It wasn't as late as he thought it was, but he still continued to walk at his fast pace.

After a few moments, the bank came into view. He smiled to himself, hoping Garfield would be at the restaurant.

Raven's image kept popping up in his mind. He didn't try to shake it off. He was genuinely concerned for her. The only reason he was tracking the other titans was so he could prove to her that they are real. He couldn't fathom the pain she was going through thinking she had merely made them up.

How does one do that to themselves? What happened to cause her to think this?

He had many questions, and he was certain the changeling could give him some answers.

Within minutes, he found the restaurant. It was indeed, a little rundown, but he didn't hesitate to walk inside. He hoped and prayed he would find him in there. It was dark, and he heard the sound of people chatting. His eyes narrowed as he scanned for the green hero.

"Table for 1, sir?"

Charlie glanced at the busboy, who appeared to be in his late teens. "Um…no thank you, is Garfield working today?"

The boy nodded. "Mr. Logan? He's in the back."

Charlie smiled. "Is there any way I can speak to him for a minute?"

"He's actually getting ready to leave…he'll have to be back tonight."

"That's fine. Can you tell him…that I'm waiting outside? Tell him it's Kilowatt."

He nodded. "I'll let him know." He quickly walked back into the dark.

Charlie walked back outside, his heart racing. He didn't expect to find someone so quickly. He smiled as he heard the door to the restaurant open, revealing a man with green skin.

It was obvious that he had been running. His emerald gaze landed on him, wide-eyed. "No way," he said slowly.

Charlie stood up straight, giving him a small smile. "Hey. Long time no see."

The changeling walked up to him, a smile on his face. "It's been…" he counted his fingers. "4 years?"

He shrugged. "About 5, actually." He grinned. "How have you been?"

Garfield ignored his question. "Dude, you look horrible! What the hell happened to you?" He seemed to snap back to reality. "How did you get here!? I mean, why are you here?"

He sighed. "It's…a long story…" he found himself shivering a little.

The former noticed and cocked his head to the side. "Let's get out of the cold. It looks like you have one hell of a story to tell me."

Charlie nodded. "That I do…"

The changeling walked him to his car, a grey Honda. He unlocked the doors and he got into the driver's seat. Charlie sat in the passenger seat. He started the car and immediately turned on the heater. "So…what happened?" He backed up out of the parking space and turned out of the lot.

"Well…before I say anything…do you know where the other titans are?"

He nodded. "Kinda…Cy is going to a University in Rockshore…it's an 8 hour drive, but with his T-ship, it's only 4." He smiled.

Charles nodded. "What about Robin? Starfire?" He didn't want to ask about Raven just yet.

"Robin, or Nightwing actually, went back to Gotham after…Star's disappearance." His eyes became somber.

"…What happened to Starfire?"

The green man shook his head. "She just…disappeared one day. A long time ago, we were fighting Warp and…I don't know, she flew into a portal and never came back…"

Charlie waited for him to go on.

"We spent months trying to track her…but we were never able to find her…Robin took it really hard and…after a year or so, he decided to quit. He just…up and left."

"…Just like that?"

He nodded. "It was difficult for the three of us working without Robin, so…we decided to disband the team."

"Why would you guys do that?" He asked lowly.

"Dude…things went downhill after Star disappeared. Robin left, Cy decided to go to school, and Raven…"

His ears perked at the mention of the sorceress. "Raven?"

"She didn't even say anything…she just sat there…as if we were suddenly invisible…I'm guessing she went back to Azarath, or something." He pulled into the lot of an apartment complex.

Charlie gritted his teeth. "You're wrong about Raven," he said quietly.

Garfield turned off the car and glanced at him. "Do you know where she is?"

He shook his head. "No…but she's the reason I'm here right now."

His eyes widened. "Dude…how?"

Charlie opened his door. "I'll tell you all about it."

He got out as well. "Just get comfortable first, you must be tired."

"I am," he said with a nod.

The two entered his apartment and Charlie changed into some borrowed clothes from the former. The fit was a little tight, but it would have to do for now. He washed his face in the bathroom and combed his hair. Once he decided he looked better, he walked out of the bathroom and into the small kitchen where Garfield waited with two mugs of hot chocolate.

"So, what brings you here to Jump City?" he asked.

Charles smiled and took a seat across from him. "It all started when I was erased from history," he said quietly.


	12. Chapter 12

*All I have to say is, poor Raven. Please R&R*

*For Joel*

Awakening

It was cold; ice cold. The floor beneath her was like ice, and she didn't dare open her eyes.

She had been awake for a few minutes now, but the moment she felt something cold around her neck and around her ankle, she froze. Fear crept its way into her heart, causing her to stay as still as possible. Where was she? What had happened? That was when she remembered him.

Kilowatt.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, feeling resentment toward the man. He was the reason she was in this foreign place. It was all his fault…and now, she had no idea what to expect in this place. She shuttered silently.

A low voice pierced the deafening silence. "I know you're awake, Raven."

Her eyes snapped open and she was greeted with the sight of white washed walls and a single mattress on the ground. She sat up and looked around. She sat upon light grey tiles. To her horror, she saw a metal chain around her ankle. The chain led to a lock in the middle of the small room. Her heart raced as she felt around her neck. She let out a cry of anguish as she felt the smooth metal of a collar.

"Do not even think about trying to escape," the voice said blankly.

Her eyes scanned the room, landing on an intercom in the corner of the ceiling. She cleared her throat. She noticed she was no longer wearing her white cloak, but simply a thin cotton hospital gown. She shuttered as she wondered who it was that changed her. "Where am I?" she asked shakily.

"You have been checked in to Arkham Asylum," the voice answered.

Her heartbeat quickened and her eyes widened, having remembered hearing about this place. She looked around, unsure of what to do.

"Do not think of escaping," the voice repeated. "There is only one exit located in the room. The walls are infused with a dark magic, just as, if not more, powerful than yours. You will not be able to phase through the walls, if you manage to gain that much of your power."

Raven started shaking. She closed her eyes and tried to pry the collar off.

"Raven, do not try to remove the collar," the voice said sternly.

She was panicking, not even paying attention to the warning. She continued to struggle, her breathing becoming hitched in the process.

"If you fail to cooperate, I will be forced to use shock."

The sorceress bit her lip, not bothering to stop. She was determined to get it off of her, and determined to escape.

"I warned you," the voice said.

A high pitched sound forced Raven to cover her ears and just before she could question anything, she felt an electric current traveling down her body. Her eyes widened and she screamed, feeling pain run its course through her veins.

Her body shook and she was forced back to the ground. It was unbearable, and her screams reverberated within the walls of her white prison. "Stop! Please!" Her body jerked left and right. She was losing the feeling in her fingertips and just before she thought it was the end, the shock subsided. She lay on the floor, in pain, and in fear. Her teeth chattered and her body continued to shake.

"If you do not listen, or if you try to use your powers in any way, you will be shocked. Do you understand, Raven?"

The former didn't answer out loud, but instead, nodded. Her eyes were wide and she stared up at the ceiling, watching the light overhead.

"Good." With that being said, the speaker was cut off, leaving Raven alone.

She lay motionless on the ground, afraid to move. Her thoughts were all over the place. How did she get here? She remembered the events that took place last night and everything pieced together.

Kilowatt never wanted to help her. He only wanted to help himself. Tears formed in her eyes as she realized that he never cared for her. "He did this…" she breathed.

How could she have trusted him? She knew nothing about him, yet she used up all of her energy to create a portal for him, and for what? She was in Arkham Asylum, and he was the one to blame.

She sat up slowly, her body still shaking. Her fingertips felt the smooth metal of the shock collar. Her eyes trailed down the metal chain on her ankle. She let out a cry of anguish and hugged her knees to her chest.

"I don't want to be here," she cried to herself. She crawled toward the mattress and climbed on top of the white bedding.

She lay on her side and rested in a fetal position. She shook her head, resenting everything about her life.

She resented her 'friends'. Her mind had played a malicious trick on her and now she couldn't fathom the idea of them ever existing. She blinked as she recalled her memories with them. They were too good to be true. She knew this, but she went along with the act anyway. She wanted to back away and be left alone, but they drew her in with fake promises of friendship and security. Being alone for most of her life and being forced to withdraw from her emotions on a daily basis made her lonely. When she created the titans, she was simply trying to cheer herself up and distract herself from the painful truths of reality. It worked. But of course, everything that seems promising comes to an end at one point.

After they all disappeared, she decided to try and go back to Azarath, but she didn't have the strength to leave earth, for she felt rooted there. She felt if she left, she too would waste away. It was a silly way of thinking, but she couldn't help herself. This was the only home she ever knew.

Checking herself into the hospital was probably one of the best decisions she ever made, or so she thought.

At first, the staff treated her with warmth and kindness. However, despite their efforts to try and make her open up, she closed herself off. For all she knew, she made these people up as well and if she allowed herself to feel attachment, they would disappear as well.

She closed her eyes and felt warm tears glide down her cheeks. Was Kilowatt even real? If he was here, which deep down she hoped, would he come for her? She sobbed as she concluded that he would simply forget about her. There was no doubting the images she saw in his mind. It was someone else; someone who meant much more to him than she herself could ever be.

She placed a hand over her chest and felt the beating of her heart. She was still alive, but she didn't feel it. Her heart ached, knowing her supposed friend had abandoned her. She didn't hear him once call out for her today, and he usually always did.

Her eyes opened slowly as she started wondering if maybe the staff here did something to prevent her from receiving his calls, or sending her own.

She remembered the warning she received about not using her powers. She didn't dare want to get shocked again, so she didn't bother.

"What should I do?" she mumbled to herself. She looked at her hands and they appeared to be a sickly grey color.

With a heavy sigh, she placed her hands back on the mattress. She closed her eyes and made the decision to stop thinking about Kilowatt, or any of the other figments. No, she would just waste away here. After all, she was just the empty shell of the person she used to be. Nothing mattered anymore.

She cried softly and started erasing the images in her head.

Robin…when her imagination seeked council and leadership. She created him to help her find a sense of direction. He was the voice she heard in a silent room, guiding her and helping her to make the right decisions. He was gone…never to have ever existed.

Starfire…when her imagination seeked reassurance and warmth. She created her to help her find encouragement from her dark past. Starfire was the bundle of joy who taught her that it was okay to be different and rather than to shy away from it, you must embrace it. She, too, was gone…

Beast Boy…when her imagination seeked relief and acceptance. She created him to help her find comfort from her demeanor. He was the one to try and make her smile, even though her outlook on life was a gloomy one. He was gone as well…

Cyborg…when her imagination seeked support and growth. She created him to help her learn new things about herself. He was always willing to lend her his shoulder and prove to her that she would always have someone to lean on, even if she didn't want to. He left her alone, just like the others…

She let out hushed tears as she remembered Kilowatt. He was…created when she seeked hope. That's all he was…he was just a final attempt to try and bring her back to a false reality. He was the beacon in her dark world, trying to direct her out of her mental prison. She followed it, feeling his influence blossom up in her like a Lily in the fall. But the moment she allowed herself to open up, the light was gone. He was gone. Just like all others…he was never there…

Her head started to clear up as she made these harsh conclusions.

"They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

She chanted this to herself as she stared at the ceiling. Her eyes slowly becoming duller and duller. Her hands relaxed against the mattress as well as her legs.

"They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

She was repeating the process she began years ago when they first disappeared. Now that…Kilowatt had brought her back to that time again, she had to cleanse herself all over again.

"They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

Her heart continued to beat, and her breath started to even out as she did so. It was no longer shaky like it was in the beginning. Finally, it seemed like she was going back to normal. No longer would she have to deal with the figments being real. No longer would she have to deal with false statements or promises. Finally…she could waste away in peace, knowing she'll always alone.

They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"


	13. Chapter 13

*I had a little fun writing this. I kept calling it the sleepover scene in my head haha. You'll understand why. ;)*

*For Joel*

Reunion

Garfield sat across from Charlie in shock, his mouth gaped open. "Dude…this is…surreal." He glanced down at his hands, unsure of what else to say.

Charlie nodded, taking a sip from his hot chocolate. "Raven's in trouble…and we need to help her. Now."

The former stood up and walked toward his small living room. "I'm calling Vic. This is very serious and he needs to know…do you have any idea where she might be?"

He shook his head. "I don't know…she talked the way someone in a mental institution would talk…"

Garfield shrugged as he dialed Vic's number and waited for him to pick up. Moments later, the green changeling was communicating Cyborg, "Yo Cy, we have a problem down here…no, no, nothing like that…it, well…it involves Raven." There was a long silence before Garfield cleared his throat. "Remember Kilowatt? He's here with me right now and he was communicating with Raven earlier…yeah, he was erased from history from his own dimension and," Charlie heard that he was cut off. Before he could ask anything, Garfield came walking up to him. He held the phone out to him. "He wants to talk to you," he said.

Charlie took the phone and held it to his ear. "Vic?"

"Is this really Kilowatt?" he asked a little apprehensively.

"Yes…it's really me…" he said sincerely.

"Man, it's been a while. What the hell happened?"

Charlie gritted his teeth. "Look. I was erased from history and I was sent to this weird void. I managed to reach out to Raven and she helped me create a portal to come back here. I'm sorry for rushing this, but I am very worried about her. She thinks you guys don't exist! She thinks she made you guys up because you guys left her!"

"Whoa, it's not like I wanted to leave her. Do you know where she is?"

He thought for a moment. "I might have an idea…"

He heard him sigh. "Well, it's a start. I'm flying down there tonight. Make sure you guys call Dick."

Charlie nodded. "Will do."

"See you soon," he hung up quickly.

Garfield glanced at Charlie. "Well?"

"We need to call Richard," he said simply.

The former sighed. "He's not going to be happy about this…" he started dialing his number.

"It doesn't matter if he's pissed off or not," he growled. "Raven is in trouble and she needs our help…hearing her cry…it was unbearable."

Garfield shot a sympathetic glance at Charlie before he heard Nightwing pick up. "Hey, Dick…it's me, Gar…" there was a short pause before Garfield started talking again. "Look, you need to come down here. Remember Kilowatt?"

Charlie sighed, growing impatient. Before he could question his actions, he grabbed the phone from the green man. "Dick? It's me, Charlie, er, Kilowatt," he said quickly.

"K-Kilowatt? What are you doing in Jump City?"

"It's a long story, but you need to come down here right away. Raven's in trouble."

There was a long silence before Dick spoke again. "What happened to her?" his voice was slightly hard.

"I'm not sure, but she thinks you guys don't exist anymore. I don't know where she is, but if you come down here, maybe you can help us locate her. Vic is already on his way tonight."

There was another long silence, but before Charlie could say anything else, he heard the dial tone. He had hung up.

Kilowatt stared at the phone in disbelief.

"So…is he coming?"

"I hope so…" he gave the phone back to Garfield.

He sighed. "I can't believe this happened…poor Raven…from what you told me, it sounds like she's suffering a lot."

Charlie's hands were shaking and he was pacing. "We need to find her…I can't keep standing here and doing nothing!"

Garfield placed a hand on his shoulder. "Dude, you need to chill. We have to take a step back and think this through. The guys are on their way and once they're here, we'll think of a game plan." His eyes softened. "Raven's tough…she's always been…"

Kilowatt glared at him. "You don't understand. I saw her. I heard her. We're running out of time…if we don't act soon…we might not be able to find her…"

He sighed. "Charles…you need to relax. Listen to me, okay? I've worked with Raven for years. I know what she's capable of. She can hold on for a few more days."

Charlie nodded. He wanted to find her, but the changeling was right. If he went out there right now looking for her, his search would end in vain. He sat down on the couch and tried to relax. "You're right…sorry for acting like a jerk…I'm just really worried about her."

Garfield took a seat next to him. "You really care about her, huh?"

He nodded. "A lot more than you think…I owe her everything…" he reminisced a little, remembering when she first rescued him. He didn't know who he was calling out for, nor did he expect anyone to help him. But there she was, appearing out of nowhere and doing everything in her power to help him.

The former stood up and walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a box of yesterday's pizza. "Hungry?"

Charlie's stomach growled, feeling famished. "Very," he answered.

Garfield half smiled and took out a few slices, placing them on a plate. He put the pizza in the microwave and started reheating the food. "I'd cook something but…I'm a little shaken up right now."

He nodded in understanding. "It's fine. I didn't exactly call ahead or anything…"

The changeling chuckled. "You got a point." He gazed out the window. "Man, it's getting colder out, huh?"

The two continued their small talk, ranging from the weather, to Gar's job, to the anticipation of the others arrival, and back to Raven. Charlie found himself feeling a little more relaxed. His thoughts continued to be flooded with images of the sorceress, but instead of panicking, he reassured himself that he would see her soon.

The sun had set, and it was now around 7 o' clock. There was a brisk knock at the door. Garfield stood up quickly and walked to his door. Without a moment's hesitation, he opened the door to reveal a half human and half robot.

Cyborg had upgraded his mechanic half in the last few years and looked much sleeker than his older model. He blinked upon seeing Gar. "Dang, Gar. You actually have facial hair…who are you trying to impress?" he chuckled.

Garfield rolled his eyes. "Good to see you too," they bumped their fists together before Vic walked in. His eyes landed on Charlie.

Charles cleared his throat and extended his hand. "Vic," he greeted.

Cyborg took his hand firmly. "Well…I've gotta say, you look different."

He shrugged. "It has been years after all, right?"

Victor nodded. "You've got that right. So, what's going on with Raven?"

Charles was about to speak, but there was another knock on the door. All 3 men glanced at each other, feeling nervous. None of them have really spoken to him since he left the team all those years ago. Garfield straightened himself out and opened the door.

He stood before him, clad in civilian clothing. He wasn't wearing a mask as he looked at the changeling. He nodded his head curtly. "Gar."

Garfield moved to the side, allowing him entrance. "Come in," he said simply.

He walked in slowly, looking around. His head was held high and met Vic's gaze. He extended his hand and shook his firmly. "Good to see you again, Vic," he said.

Vic nodded in agreement. "Good to see you too. How are you these days?"

Dick's eyes seemed to grow a little hard. "I'm getting by." His gaze landed on Charles.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Hi," he greeted.

Dick walked up to him. They were about the same height, Charlie being a little taller. "You contacted Raven?"

Charlie nodded. "Yes. And I have reason to believe that she's in trouble."

"Well…" Dick looked around. "What exactly happened?"

Charles sighed and gestured them to follow him back to the living room. He told them the same story he had told Garfield. He made sure to emphasize Raven's mental state and repeated everything she said to him verbatim. His heart was heavy as he told the story from beginning to end as he mentally relived every moment he shared with the sorceress.

All of the men were silent, taking in his story. Vic was the first one to speak up. "I don't believe this…" he rubbed his temples.

Dick stared off in disbelief. He sighed. "So…in the end…this is my fault."

Garfield spoke up. "Whoa, don't go jumping to conclusions like that."

The former Robin clenched his fists. "It is my fault…I was the leader…I was the one in charge…I shouldn't have left the team…"

Cyborg shook his head. "You're only human, man. You can't keep setting these high expectations…we're not perfect."

Charlie nodded. "He's right…the good thing is, we're all together right now."

Dick sighed. "We're short two titans…" he muttered.

There was a few moments of silence before Charlie spoke, "We're going to find them…"

"Maybe Raven," Richard muttered. "But not…"

Cyborg placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's fine, man."

Richard looked up at Charles. "From what you told us…it sounds like Raven would be in a mental hospital."

Charlie nodded. "I was thinking the same thing."

"There's one in the city…" Richard said as he stood up. He glanced at Garfield and Victor. "You guys are familiar with it, right?"

Both men nodded and Vic said, "Yup. I guess we start our search there, huh?"

Charlie's heart was filled with hope once more. "Thank you guys, very much," he said with gratitude.

"Actually," Richard said, "we should be thanking you…without you, we wouldn't have made the decision to reunite again…and Raven would still believe she was alone."

Charles blinked, surprised at his words.

Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellow communicator. "I kept this…just in case…"

Vic's eyes widened, as well as Gar's.

Richard smiled and pressed a button on the communicator. Cyborg's robotic eye started to blink, making a beeping sound. That same sound was heard in Gar's room where his old belt rested on his desk.

Charlie looked around the room, feeling the warmth emanating from everyone.

With a smile, Dick said, "We'll find her, and we'll bring her back."


	14. Chapter 14

*Sorry it has been a while! School and work are taking their toll on me. Anyway, let us commence with the depressing chapter!*

*For Joel*

So Far Gone

She was dreaming, she knew it. But it felt real. Her heart raced as she stood in the dark. It was foggy just like her previous dreams. The loneliness she felt was identical as well as the temperature. She blinked, looking around. Her dream was almost the same, but there was a key element missing. Her eyes continued to scan the dark terrain, looking for her cornerstone.

Kilowatt.

She sighed as she crossed her arms and sat on the cold ground. "He's not here," she told herself. "He's gone. He was never there…"

A cold breeze made her hair take flight for a moment. She looked up and saw the fog becoming denser.

She held her head low and felt the white veil wrap itself around her. She hugged her knees to her chest and started to cry.

The tears were bitter and her eyes burned with each passing drop.

She had never felt so strong when Kilowatt was there, nor had she felt so hopeful. Her heart grew heavier with each breath she took. He had vanished just as quickly as he appeared and now she was left with his burning memory.

"He was never real…" she breathed.

She felt a strange sensation on her arm all of a sudden. She grimaced and tried brushing away the feeling but it persisted until she cried out, "Stop!"

Her eyes shot open and she was staring at the ceiling of her cell. She turned her head to the left and saw a man in sea green scrubs standing beside her mattress. It took her a minute to realize that he had been poking her; trying to wake her up.

"Get up," he said harshly.

Raven stumbled off the mattress, dizzy from sleep.

The man pulled out a black key and knelt down, unlocking the chain around her ankle.

The metal crashed to the white linoleum floor making an awful sound. Raven knelt down and rubbed her ankle where the metal chaffed her skin. It was red and irritated. She sighed.

The man jerked her arm and pushed her out of the cell. Raven was surprised at how he treated her, but she didn't bother saying anything. She noticed a small black remote in his hands and he was no doubt going to shock her if she didn't abide by him.

"Time for lunch, demon," he muttered as he continued to shove her.

Raven said nothing as she crossed her arms and hung her head low. She didn't like the feel of the thin cotton dress. To her surprise, they had let her keep her boots and it was the only thing that brought her any kind of comfort.

The man had urged her to keep walking but after a moment, he grabbed her by the collar, pulling the dress higher up against her thighs. He positioned her in front of two metal doors. He pushed a button on the wall and the doors opened to reveal a large cafeteria, filled with the other patients. She noticed not all of them were wearing shock collars like herself.

She was about to ask why some lacked the collar when she was pushed toward the lunch line. The man had pushed her against the metal bars of the snack bar and she winced. Her eyes looked up and she was greeted by an old woman. Her hair was tied tightly in a bun and she wore a hair net over her faded gold locks. She blinked her steel grey eyes and muttered a barely audible 'enjoy' as she passed Raven a plastic tray of casserole.

Raven took the food without hesitation and reached for a bottle of water in a nearby cooler.

Once she had her lunch, she scanned the cafeteria for a place to sit. The people appeared to be very uninviting and she suddenly yearned for the company back at her old hospital. The moment she thought of the hospital, Kilowatt's face came into mind. She immediately shook her head and sat down at an empty table.

She closed her eyes and forced the images of the hero out of her mind. "He's not real," she muttered to herself.

"Who's not real?"

She looked up and was surprised to see a tall, pale skinned man hovering above her. He was wearing a white uniform and his hair was jet black. He took a seat across from her. She noticed he was wearing a shock collar.

"No one," she murmured quietly.

His eyes hardened. "I know who you are," he stated.

Her eyes met his dark ones. "And who are you?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

"The name's Elliot Knight. Although…you probably wouldn't know me by that name…but then again, I've never actually spoken to you until now."

Raven kept her head down. "Even if you did…I wouldn't remember you anyway," she said dryly.

She felt him shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not. But…I did have a reason for coming to see you."

Raven took a bite of her casserole. "And what reason would that be?"

Elliot glanced at the man who had been pushing her through the halls earlier. "Do you see that man?"

Raven's eyes flickered toward her guide. "Yes…he brought me here."

"His name is Henry Rich and he's one of the caretakers here…"

Raven continued to eat, not saying anything.

He continued. "He…is very dangerous…" he murmured. "He's raped some of the patients here."

Raven dropped her fork on her tray. She stared at Elliot in disbelief.

Elliot simply nodded, some of his jet black hair covering his left eye.

The stunned sorceress covered her mouth. "He…"

"Yes, Raven. That look in his eyes…I'm sad to say that you're his next target."

Her eyes widened. "The other staff just let him do that?" she asked in disbelief.

"They don't care what the caretakers do to us. As long as we don't escape, they're doing their job."

Raven clutched her stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick…"

Elliot sighed. "I'm just warning you…I don't really consider you a friend, or even an acquaintance for that matter…but I felt like I needed to warn you…"

She cleared her throat. "Are…you saying there's nothing I can do about this?"

He thought for a moment. "Unfortunately…no. We can't use our powers…they'll shock us if we do…I'm sorry, Raven…but there's no escape here."

Raven felt her heart break all over again. She was stuck, and she couldn't get out. She placed her head on the metal table and felt tears stinging her eyes. She balled her hands up in fists.

Elliot listened to her cry for a few moments. "He won't strike immediately…he'll need time to plan…with you being half demon and all…I'm sure he's a little terrified of you."

She scoffed. "Maybe I should just let them shock me…shock me until they kill me…I've had enough…"

"…What happened to you?"

She lifted her head up, her eyes red rimmed and tear stained. She glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Raven? You are THE Raven, yes?"

She blinked her tears away and gritted her teeth. "Why does everyone think they know who I am, when I can't even remember myself?"

Elliot gaped a little. "You don't know who you are?"

Raven shook her head. "…I don't know anything anymore…I ended up here because I thought I…had a chance at remembering…but…"

He waited for her to continue, watching her sad amethyst eyes.

She sighed helplessly. "He…lied…he lied to me…he used me…and now he's free while I'm stuck here…"

"Who are you talking about?" he asked cautiously.

Raven stood up, not wanting to eat anymore. "No one," she said through gritted teeth.

Elliot stayed seated, not knowing what else to say.

Raven walked back up to her guide. "I want to go back to my room," she said in her usual monotonous tone.

Henry looked her up and down before opening the metal doors and escorting her to her room.

Raven's eyes stayed glued to the floor as she followed him. Elliot's warnings came crashing into her mind and she shuddered. There was no doubt that she would demand to be killed if he did indeed to try to rape her. Yet…there was a part of her that held some imagined figment of hope. Maybe she would get out of this…maybe she could be happy again…

…And pigs could fly.

She was shoved back into her room and she heard Henry come inside as well. Her heartbeat quickened and she was about to cry until she noticed he was just attaching the chain to her ankle again. He locked it quickly and stood up.

His gaze pierced hers in such a way that made her want to curl up on the mattress and hide from him. She didn't look away. She couldn't even if she wanted to.

A few moments of silence passed between the two before he turned around and left. He shut and locked the doors and he left, leaving the former alone.

Raven threw herself on the mattress and buried her face in it. Her hands shook and the tears flowed out. Her mind started wandering back to Kilowatt.

The moment she saw the man in her mind, she forced her eyes open and stared at the white light above her bed. "They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

Her breath came out in choked sobs as she yelled out in anguish.

"Why would you do this to me!?" she screamed. "Why would you hurt me!?"

She threw her fists against the mattress, ignoring the voice from the intercom telling her to stop.

"You did this!" she shrieked. "You put me here!" Her eyes were bloody red from crying and her voice was hoarse from screaming.

"Raven, stop." The voice said again.

"I hate you!" she screamed. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you, Kilowatt!"

The moment she finished her last statement, a pitched sound resonated in her ears.

Her eyes widened as she realized she was about to be shocked again. "Wait…!" she called out.

She was too late. She felt the electricity course through the veins in her neck. She threw her head back against the mattress and screamed in agony. The electricity made its course up her arms and legs. She could feel the pain surrounding her chest, threatening to strike through her heart. She closed her eyes and begged to be killed right now.

Her wish never came true. The shock vanished just as quickly as it had come. Her eyes opened weakly and she was staring up at the same light again.

"Behave yourself," the voice commanded before cutting off.

Raven whimpered and curled up in a fetal position. Her body ached and it felt as if her neck was going to disconnect itself from her body. She cried silently to herself, wishing her life would end right now.


	15. Chapter 15

*Well…on with the depressing fanfic, ey?*

*For Joel*

Bad News

Nightwing awoke early. It wasn't out of character for him. It was what he usually did; especially now that one of his closest friends was possibly in danger, and he couldn't blame anybody but himself.

Charlie heard the sound of rustling in the kitchen and opened his eyes slowly. He had fallen asleep on the couch and noticed Vic on the ground, using his arm as a pillow as he slept. He blinked and glanced at the clock. It was 5 in the morning.

He sat up slowly and saw Garfield sleeping on the loveseat. He had his arms crossed as he did so and was snoring quietly.

He turned around and saw Richard preparing coffee. Charlie yawned and mumbled, "Morning."

Dick's eyes landed on him. "Looks like you're pretty anxious too, huh?"

He nodded, unable to fall asleep the night before from having the sorceress on his mind. "I get the feeling she's in danger…I can't stop thinking about her."

Richard poured himself a mug of coffee. "You want some?" he asked.

He shook his head. "No, thank you."

Their quiet conversation woke up a sleeping Cyborg. The half man and half robot sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. "Man…ya'll are up early," he mumbled.

Charlie smiled a little. "We've got things to do today…we have to get a head start."

Richard nodded as he drank his coffee. "Sleep can wait. Raven can't," he stated.

Cyborg nodded, unable to argue with the former Titan's statement. He grabbed a couch cushion and hurled it at the sleeping changeling.

Garfield groaned and turned his body away from the other heroes. "Stop," he grunted.

Victor grinned mischievously. "C'mon, grass stain, get your lazy ass up."

The green hero glanced at the clock and went wide eyed for a moment before shutting his eyes tight again. "Dude…it's 5 in the morning. I've still got 5 hours to kill here…"

Richard placed his mug on the counter. "You can get your 5 hours later," he said sternly. "We need to find Raven."

Charlie nodded. "He's right. I can't go another day without hearing from her."

Cyborg turned to him. "Is there any way you can try to contact her again?"

Garfield sat up and stretched, cracking his neck in the process.

Charles sighed. "I…I don't know…I tried and…it feels like there's something preventing me from doing so…"

Richard walked toward them. "She's out there somewhere and we're going to find her."

Charles nodded, still feeling nervous.

Cyborg stood up. "Let's go save our friend."

The men got ready and ate a quick breakfast made my Garfield himself. Vic and Richard grimaced at the taste of tofu eggs and soy milk, but Charlie scarfed his meal without thinking twice. He appreciated the hospitality he was receiving from the heroes and hoped he could pay them back someday.

It wasn't long before they all hopped inside Vic's T-car. Richard sat in the passenger seat next to Vic and Gar and Charles sat in the back.

"We'll start our search at the mental hospital. If Raven truly believed we were never there….she'd probably want to go there."

Charles shivered at the idea of Raven confined to a small room. His mind wandered to her, worried about her.

Vic nodded and started driving. "I know where it is…even though it's been years, I still know every square inch of this city."

Garfield blinked. "Man…I can't believe this is all happening…"

Richard folded his arms. "You better believe it." He sighed. "I just wish we'd known about this sooner."

Victor turned a corner. "Better late than never, right?"

Richard grunted.

Charles fiddled with his hands, nervous. He hadn't spoken to Raven since he arrived in Jump City and was afraid that she wouldn't want to see him after…

He huffed, remembering his distracting thoughts on his previous love interest.

Garfield turned to face him. "You okay, dude?"

Charles nodded, "Yeah."

Victor pulled into a parking lot and Charlie looked out the window. He was taken aback at the sight of the white building. Written in metal was the words, Jump City Mental Health Services.

He cleared his throat as Victor parked and turned off the car. There was a moment of silence before Richard spoke, "I'm sure I'm just as nervous as everyone else here…" he opened the door and stepped out of the car.

Everyone else did the same, not saying a word. Charles' heart started to beat faster as they approached the entrance.

Victor opened the door and held it open for everyone. The 4 men shuffled inside, feeling out of place.

A young brunette sat at the counter, typing furiously. Her eyes landed on the men and a small smile appeared on her face. "Good morning, gentleman. How can I help you?"

Richard approached the counter. The 3 men followed. Charles gazed around the room, suddenly feeling a spark of energy within him.

"We're looking for someone, and we have reason to believe that she's checked herself in here," Richard stated.

The woman nodded and placed her attention back to the monitor. "Okay. What's the name of the patient?"

Richard responded, "Her name is Raven. Raven Roth."

The woman's eyes widened as she turned to face the former. "Raven? As in, the former teen titan Raven?"

Richard nodded. Cyborg and Garfield nodded as well. Charles placed a hand over his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat.

"Oh…" her voice trailed off. "Um…excuse me, for just a moment…" she stood up quickly and disappeared behind two double doors.

All 4 men were silent. Each of them understood the situation. This woman was clearly aware of who Raven was and it indicated that she was here.

Charles took a deep breath in an effort to calm his raging heart.

It wasn't long until the woman returned with one of the doctors, Raven's former doctor to be exact.

The doctor approached the men. "Good morning, my name is Dr. Patel and, you are looking for Miss Roth, yes?"

The men nodded. Richard answered, "Yes. Is she here?"

Dr. Patel furrowed his brows. "No. Not anymore, at least."

Charles felt his heart sink at his answer.

Richard nodded. "Where is she now?"

Dr. Patel scratched his head. "Well…I assume you are all former members of the Teen Titans…"

Richard nodded. "Yes. Could you please answer my question?"

"Of course…follow me." Dr. Patel led them through the door and down a long hallway.

They were silent, with only the sound of their footsteps on the white tile.

It wasn't long before they were seated inside a small office. Dr. Patel sat at his desk and stared into his monitor as he typed. "Your friend…well…we had an issue with her 2 nights ago…"

Charles suddenly spoke, "What happened?"

Dr. Patel sighed. "She checked herself in this hospital over 3 years ago. She firmly believed you guys never existed and sought out mental help through us."

Richard nodded, taking his words in. "And…you welcomed her?"

"Not at first," the doctor admitted. "We were worried because of her powers. However…she claimed that she would never intend to harm anyone. She said she simply wanted to forget ever having them."

All of the men looked down.

The doctor continued. "We tried explaining to her that you guys did indeed exist, but she refused to listen. She did occasionally use her powers to create barriers in an effort to keep us away, and we allowed that. However…what she did 2 nights ago was unacceptable and we had no choice but to send her away."

Charles suddenly realized where this was going. He started to tremble.

Richard cleared his throat. "What happened, and where did you send her?"

"Raven attempted to destroy the hospital…she broke a lot of windows and scared the patients. She was using a lot of her power and I remember her eyes glowing white. She wouldn't listen to us and in the end, we had to sedate her." He sighed. "We couldn't keep her here after that. You have to understand that we have a lot of mentally unstable people here, and having them exposed to that doesn't help with treatment."

Charles rubbed his temples, feeling a headache.

Cyborg glanced at Garfield, whose eyes were a little watery.

Richard repeated his question, "Where is she?"

Dr. Patel removed his glasses and set them on the table. "We…had her relocated to Arkham Asylum in Gotham."

Richard's head snapped up. "What?" he asked, his voice hard.

Garfield's eyes widened. "No. Way."

Cyborg's mouth gaped open. "You can't be serious."

Charles' eyes darted from left to right. "Oh no…"

"I'm sorry gentlemen, but we believed it was the best place for her. She is a danger not only to herself, but everyone around her as well."

Richard stood up, his hands balled into fists. "We need to go. Thanks for your help," he said quickly.

Before the Doctor could get another word out, the men had left his office quickly. They all walked outside; Richard punching the brick wall hard. "God damnit!" he yelled.

Victor placed a hand on Richard. "Calm down, man."

Richard shook his hand off. "She's in the asylum, Vic! She doesn't belong there!"

Garfield nodded. "He's right. God, I can't believe this…"

Charles kept his head low. "She's in there because of me…she wasn't trying to destroy the hospital…she was opening the portal for me…"

Richard sighed. "We need to go to Gotham. Now." He started walking back toward the T-car, not looking back.

Cyborg unlocked the car and waited for everyone to hop in before igniting the engine. He pulled out quickly, driving toward Gotham.

Richard gritted his teeth. "We can't waste any more time…she's at their mercy and they don't exactly have any to offer."

Garfield folded his arms. "I should have visited her while she was in the hospital…I should have known…"

Charles sighed. "We all should have done something…we're paying for it now…"

Richard took a deep breath. "Look…I know this is bad…but we can't wallow in our faults right now. Raven's in trouble, and she needs our help. We can't go to her looking like this…we need to pull ourselves together and get her to remember us."

Charles nodded. "I…just hope she isn't…"

Richard cut him off. "She's fine…she's strong…I know she is…she has to be."

Victor sped up, maneuvering through the other vehicles on the road, determined to see his friend again.

Charles closed his eyes, thinking of Raven. "Be strong," he thought to himself. "Be strong for her."


	16. Chapter 16

*I'm back with another chapter! I hope you enjoy!*

*For Joel*

Left Behind

"We're gonna have to get whatever we need tonight. We've got a long drive ahead of us," Richard said as he looked through his phone.

Cyborg nodded. "I think we should use the T-ship. I can transfer coordinates from the ship to where we are using my laptop. It'll be quicker for us that way. It'll only be about 2 hours for it to get here. Until then, we can pack what we need."

Charlie nodded in agreement. "Good thinking, Vic."

Richard sighed in relief. "You're a lifesaver."

Cyborg continued driving toward Garfield's apartment. Charlie noticed Gar's unusual silence, but didn't try to pry.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the apartment. All 4 men gathered inside. Richard was busy contacting his former leader on the phone to warn him of their arrival.

Cyborg opened his laptop and started putting in the coordinates. Charlie peered over his shoulder and watched in fascination as Cyborg used his technology.

Meanwhile, Garfield was standing in the corner, looking rather uncomfortable.

Richard walked out from the kitchen area, having just got off the phone with Batman. "Aren't you going to get ready, Garfield?"

The green titan stiffened slightly. "Um…about that…uh…I don't think I can go."

There was a long silence. Victor had stopped typing and gaped at the former.

Charlie's eyes widened slightly and he shot a worried glance at Nightwing.

His eyes narrowed beneath his mask. "Why," he asked, his voice hard.

The changeling cleared his throat. "Well…I have a job to attend to and I can't just take off all of a sudden…don't give me that look, Dick. I care about Raven, I do, but,"

Richard cut him off. "Then there should be no excuse as to why you can't go," he said through gritted teeth.

"Damnit, Dick. Look, this whole thing completely caught me off guard. I am still processing everything that has happened to me so far."

"Everything that happened to you?" Richard asked incredulously. "Raven is out there suffering in that God forsaken asylum and all you're worried about is processing your damn feelings!?"

Garfield bared his teeth. "Hey, this isn't easy for me. I want to go, I do, but I have things to take care of down here as well. I mean, if I had known in advance I would go!"

Richard took a step toward the changeling. "You should be ashamed of yourself! Raven would want all of us there! How about you think about someone other than yourself for a change!?"

"You're the one to talk! This would have never happened if you hadn't abandoned us! You're no saint! You left because of your feelings! Don't even try to tell me different! How about you get over Starfire already!?"

"Gar!" Cyborg stood up, clearly not pleased with his words.

Charlie stared hard at Garfield before turning his gaze back to Richard.

Richard didn't seem fazed, but his voice revealed all of his pain. "Fine." He turned around and walked out the door, slamming it as he did so.

Charlie sighed. "You should not have used Starfire against him like that."

Victor shook his head. "Nice one, grass stain."

Garfield sighed. "Great…"

"Well…since you're not coming with us, maybe you could lend Charlie here some clothes for the trip?" He was clearly trying to change the subject.

The green titan nodded. "Yeah…I guess…" he gestured Charles to follow him.

Charlie followed him and Garfield showed him to his room. The changeling opened his closet and pulled out some plain shirts and faded jeans. "How long do you think it'll take before Dick speaks to me again?" he asked nervously.

Kilowatt shrugged. "I don't know…you hit a real sensitive nerve with him…"

"I didn't mean to," he said as he pulled out a blue duffel bag. "I was upset…"

"I understand," Charlie said.

"I do care about her…I really do." He sighed.

Charlie nodded. "I do, too…much more than you think."

Garfield glanced at him as he placed the clothes in the duffel bag. "You like her, don't you?"

Charles didn't meet his eyes. "Of course I do."

"I mean…you like her."

Kilowatt chuckled. "I don't know about that…she's…a good friend…"

Garfield tossed the duffel bag to him. "Yeah. A good friend who saved your life 3 times so far."

He caught the bag with ease. "I owe her everything."

"That you do," he said in agreement.

Richard returned after an hour. By then, Garfield had already gone back to work. He wished everyone safe travels and to call him as soon as they arrived in Gotham. He also sent his regards to Raven, whom he hoped was okay.

Victor chatted with Richard about the latest installments on the T-ship, eager for him to see how it looked now.

Meanwhile, Kilowatt sat on the small couch, thinking about what Garfield had said about his feelings toward Raven.

He had been busy worrying about Raven's well-being that he had completely neglected to think about his own feelings. He started to contemplate his thoughts on the dark sorceress.

She was always there for me, he thought to himself.

It was true. Even when she failed to recall him, she still put her life on the line just to bring him back to Jump City. Her heart, albeit cold and barely beating, still had a flicker of warmth and compassion in it.

"Raven…" he breathed her name and felt a shiver run down his spine.

His eyes widened and he felt his heartbeat quicken at the thought of seeing her once more…her amethyst eyes…her violet locks…that beautiful gem that accented her face so perfectly…

He placed a hand on his heart and felt the beats.

Richard glanced at him. "You okay, Charles?"

Charlie looked up and nodded. "Yes. I'm just eager to see Raven again, is all."

Victor chuckled. "It sounds like you like her."

Kilowatt looked down. "Yeah…it does, huh?"

Richard tilted his head slightly. "Wait…you have a thing for Raven?"

Charlie blushed. "Uh…now is really not the time to be discussing this."

Victor smirked. "Whatever you say…but just remember, the topic's going to pop up again."

Richard chuckled.

Charlie shrugged. "I know. And maybe I'll be ready to discuss it."

Victor's mechanical eye started to blink. "Looks like my baby is near! I had the coordinates set to that vacant lot near the coast. Come on, let's meet her halfway."

The 3 men piled into the T-car, duffel bags, suit cases, and all. Victor drove quickly, eager to see the T-ship.

Kilowatt looked out the window and up at the clouds. He saw a few puffs of the white mist come together and form a distinct shape, making him think of Raven. He blushed again at the thought of her.

He smiled to himself and closed his eyes.

"We're on our way," he whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

*Sorry for the delay! I have been extremely busy lately. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It includes both Raven's and Kilowatt's POV*

*For Joel*

Distortion

"It's so cold…" she whispered.

Raven lay on her mattress, shivering. The temperature in her room had dropped and she had not been provided with any kind of blanket. Her teeth chattered and she was curled in a fetal position. She was unable to recall how much time had passed since she'd been in the asylum.

She wasn't able to recall why she had been checked in at all.

It had taken every last bit of her willpower to forget all over again. This was the norm for her. She no longer questioned Henry's harshness toward her. The only thing keeping her from defying him was the shock collar around her neck.

But she couldn't find a reason to defy him or anyone else for that matter in the first place. She simply did as she was told.

Her door opened minutes later and Henry walked in. As usual, he unlocked the chain around her ankle.

Raven stood up, walking out of her room toward the cafeteria. Henry followed close behind, not saying a word to her.

Once she arrived, she received her tray of food and water and sat down. Her eyes were dull as she stared at the casserole in front of her. Elliot no longer sat with her. She had requested that he leave her alone and after several minutes of him trying to remind her of who she was, he had given up and decided to leave.

Her heart was empty as well as her mind. She chanted her silent mantra in her head to prevent herself from jumping to delusional thoughts.

She no longer saw color. Her world was black and white. Nothing made her feel alive anymore. She was unable to feel sad about it since she couldn't recall what it felt like to be alive.

Raven ate her food slowly, unable to taste the mixture of the rice and vegetables. She rarely finished her food and often pushed the tray away after 3 bites.

This time was no different. She slid the steel tray across the table and watched as one of the patients took the tray to salvage off the remains. She mumbled something in her native language and stood up.

She met the dark eyes of Elliot, whom had his arms crossed and was leaning against the wall. He stared at her intently.

The sorceress blinked slowly before turning her attention toward the bathroom area and walking toward it.

Once she was inside, she studied herself in the mirror. Her body had taken on a sickly gray color and her eyes, which once held the color of a deep amethyst, were now dull and appeared lifeless. Her reflection appeared to be scowling at her.

Why are you acting like this?

Raven sighed. "I don't know what you mean. I've always been this way."

Liar. You KNOW why.

"I have no memories outside this asylum," she answered dully.

You and I both know you do.

"That's your delusion, not mine."

You have a family who cares about you.

"I have no family."

There's someone out there who loves you.

"I, myself, don't even know what love is."

Yes you do, because you love them too.

"It's always been me, and that's how it's going to stay."

Robin. Think of Robin. Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, anybody.

"Those names do not mean anything to me."

There was a pause. Kilowatt.

Raven stared at her reflection for a long moment, not batting an eye. "I don't recall anyone with that name."

Before Raven could listen to any kind of response, she swiftly turned away and walked back out into the cafeteria.

Her eyes met Henry's and with a swift head movement, she understood it was time to go back to her room.

She walked up to him slowly and he led her back to her quarters. She expected him to chain her up and leave as usual, but she felt something was off.

Once Henry was inside with her, he turned around and locked the door.

Raven's eyes widened slightly, unsure of his actions.

Henry turned around slowly, his gray eyes filled with lust. "You don't remember anything, do you?" His tone was condescending.

Raven didn't answer, as she was still confused as why he had locked himself inside with her.

His eyes traveled down her body slowly and in that moment, Raven understood.

She took a step back and glared at him. "Don't touch me," she growled. It had been a while since Raven had felt any type of emotion. She could feel her heart beating in her chest.

Henry took a threatening step toward her. "I'm going to do more than just that, don't you worry," he said darkly.

Raven shook her head. "No. I won't let you," she said shakily.

He smirked. "It's not like you have a choice…" he pulled the remote out his pocket. "If you even think about using your powers or trying to resist, I'm going to shock the life out of you."

"You might as well kill me now," she breathed. "I'd rather die."

"But where's the fun in that?"

He lunged for her and grabbed the bust line of her dress. Raven yelped in fear and tried pushing him away. "No!" she screamed.

He didn't bother silencing her. He pushed her roughly against the wall, placing his arm above her neck as he started lifting the bottom of her dress.

"No! I don't want this!"

"Go ahead and keep screaming…it won't do you any good." He started unbuttoning his uniform.

Raven's eyes glowed white and she bared her teeth at him. " I SAID NO." Her voice became demonic and she attempted to take hold of the mattress nearby in order to throw it at him. However, before she could concentrate, she felt the familiar shock course through her veins.

She screamed in agony and he let her fall to the floor as she writhed in pain. She closed her eyes and just before she passed out from the pain, it stopped.

Henry stood over her, amusement in his eyes. "I didn't want to…but you were asking for it. You'll be a good girl now, right?"

Raven felt tears stream down her cheeks. She couldn't fight him. There was no one she could call to for help.

She shuttered as he felt his hands on her again.

She closed her eyes and sobbed silently as Henry continued to touch her.

He knew he was dreaming, but he couldn't stop the pain in his heart as he watched Raven sitting alone in a white room. He had called out to her several times but she ignored him.

"It's about what you saw, isn't it?" he asked.

Raven didn't acknowledge him. She stared passed him, her eyes lifeless.

"Raven, listen to me! I'm sorry! Truly, sincerely, sorry!"

For the first time, Raven finally made eye contact with him.

Kilowatt gazed into her eyes longingly, waiting for a reply, or any type of acknowledgement.

He watched in horror as a single tear slid down her cheek.

"Raven…"

He felt his eyes open and he sat up in his seat. He was back on the T-ship. He was seated in his own area on the ship with Victor controlling everything. He noticed Robin typing furiously into the monitor in front of him.

It was dark and he turned his mic on. "Hey, Vic?"

Victor had his back to him and he spoke into his mic, "Hey, finally awake, huh?"

"Yeah…um, where are we?"

Cyborg checked the monitor to his right. "We're not too far outside of Manhattan. We should be there in another hour or so."

He nodded. "Sounds good…"

Richard came on the other end. "Is everything okay?

"Worried," Kilowatt replied quietly.

"We all are," Richard commented. "But we'll be there as soon as we can. We'll save her."

Charlie sighed. "We have to."

Victor spoke, "Alright, relax you two. Don't stress yourselves out now. We need all the energy we can muster right now."

Richard nodded. "We don't know what's in store for us when we arrive."

"Would they hurt her up there?" Charlie asked cautiously.

There was a few moments of silence before Richard answered, "I'm not sure…but I'm not ruling out the possibility entirely."

Charles groaned, balling his hands into fists. "What have I done…"

"Hey man, don't blame yourself. You weren't the only one who left her behind," Vic murmured.

The 3 men didn't speak the rest of the trip.

By the time they arrived, it was early evening. Victor landed the ship a nearby field just on the outskirts of the city.

Cyborg stepped out, stretching. "We made it," he said solemnly.

Richard nodded. "It's…been a while."

Charles stepped out, feeling something spark inside him. He gasped a little, surprised at the feeling.

The former Robin turned to him. "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," Charlie answered. "I just…felt something. I can't explain it."

Victor shrugged and pulled out his phone to call Gar.

Richard nodded. "You must be anxious is all," he suggested.

"Y-yeah…" he felt the feeling in his head become more apparent. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the feeling.

Victor had a short conversation with Garfield about their arrival before hanging up and walking up to the 2 men. "Ya'll ready to find this place?"

Richard looked toward the city. "I know where it is."

Victor didn't say anything as he went toward the cargo area and opened it. It revealed all of their bags as well as his T-car in the large ship. "I guess that means you drive then, right?"

Richard nodded.

Kilowatt stared into the city, now understanding the unusual feeling in his head. It wasn't just a headache or his anxiety. No, he could feel that there was something wrong. Raven needed their help, his help.

Richard turned the car on and called out to Kilowatt, "Are you coming?"

He turned around, concern in his eyes. "Raven's in trouble."

Richard's eyes furrowed beneath his mask. "How do you know?"

Charles took off in a sprint toward the vehicle. "I just know, we have to hurry," he said through gritted teeth.

Victor sat in the passenger seat, worried about Charles' sudden outburst.

As soon as Charles was inside, Richard took off and drove quickly toward the city.

Charles was doing his best to calm himself. "She's…I can…feel how scared she is," he admitted.

Victor looked at through the rearview mirror. "You said that you communicated with her before…not only can you hear her, but you can always sense her feelings…"

Richard glanced at him. "Is there any way you can tell her we're on our way?"

Kilowatt shook his head. "There's something blocking that…guys, I'm terrified right now."

"Calm down," Richard said. "We'll find her. We'll save her."

"We have to…" Charles whispered.


End file.
